After doctors found tumors in her liver, Carr hit the books to learn more about her disorder.
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Editor's Note: This feature, originally printed with the title "Living with Cancer," Is a free preview of Scientific American's Special Report "New Answers for Cancer"
It was February 2003, and Kris Carr, a photographer and actress, was on a roll. The bubbly, green-eyed stunner was in high demand. She was considered “the Julia Roberts of advertising” (at least according to her agent), thanks to her success in two popular Bud Light commercials that aired during the Super Bowl. She also had some impressive theater and film credits, among them a role in Arthur Miller’s Mr. Peter’s Connections, in which she performed (in the buff, no less) alongside actor Peter Falk.
Like many of her hip young compeers, Carr, then 31, routinely burned the candle at both ends. She existed on energy bars, fast food and coffee downed between nonstop auditions and takes. Every so often her frenetic lifestyle would catch up with her as it did now: she had just returned home to New York City after “partying like a rock star” at Florida’s Sarasota Film Festival, where a film she had appeared in premiered, and she was dragging. Time to detox, cleanse her body and soul, exercise and eat right for a spell. She swore off drinking for a month and took a vigorous Jivamukti-style yoga class to kick-start her new get-healthy-quick scheme.
“The following morning I woke up feeling like I was hit by a truck,” Carr says. Every muscle ached. She dismissed her sore body as a sign that she was more out of shape than she had thought and, as usual, slipped into tight jeans, slathered on a mask of makeup and headed to an audition: a commercial for a diet shake. (She didn’t get it: too fat, says the slender onetime model.)
By evening, stiff muscles were the least of Carr’s problems. Her pain had worsened, and it was now accompanied by shortness of breath and severe abdominal cramping. She made an appointment to see her doctor the following day.
Gallbladder trouble, the physician surmised after a quick examination. Recommended treatment: yank the pear-shaped organ that, when healthy, helps the liver flush fats from the body but, when faulty, causes excruciating pain. He gave Carr a prescription for painkillers and sent her for an ultrasound to confirm that her gallbladder was indeed the culprit.
It wasn’t.
“When they did the ultrasound, they found the ‘lesions.’ They could see there were spots all over my liver—so many that it looked like Swiss cheese,” Carr says. She was concerned but still blissfully ignorant of the potential ramifications. “I didn’t know,” she says, “that lesions meant tumors.”
A battery of tests over the next few days revealed that Carr was suffering from epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE), a vascular cancer in the lining of the blood vessels in her liver and lungs so rare that only 0.01 percent of the cancer population has it. Around 200 to 300 cases are diagnosed nationwide every year. The cause: unknown. The cancer was stage IV—incurable and inoperable, the doctor said. “Some people say it could have come on like a meteor shower,” Carr says; others suspect the tumors had been developing her whole life.
EHE is typically a slow-moving cancer. There are studies under way but currently no cures or definitive treatments. The doctor recommended a “watch and wait” approach. That is, that they take their cues from the tumors—monitor them for two months to gauge whether they were holding steady or moving slowly or swiftly. They were quiet for now, “indolent” in cancer-speak, and the hope was they would stay that way.
It was February 14. “Happy Valentine’s Day. You have cancer,” Carr wrote in her journal that night.
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26 Comments
Add Commentcancers are horrible diseases~
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI have been a cancer sufferer for years. I am not a green-eyed beauty nor an actress, but one of millions of people who have been helped by modern medicine. Of course, such a statement is not particularly newsworthy. Any success for "alternative" treatments is trumpeted by the press. The daily successes for individuals treated "conventionally" is not deemed newsworthy.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI don't see the value of this article in a journal bearing your name. "American", yes. "Scientific", no.
Check and wait method for cancer-like tumors is decribed in the Bible book of Leviticus. Still, Jesus was able to cure such tumors. The end of cancer is therefore within reach.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thishi there,
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thishaving had cancer myself 20 years ago I understand exactly where Kris Carr is coming from. She is a great inspiration for anyone out there who has been given the Dreaded C word. Her story has given the message that there is hope for one yet. Good for you!
I know myself what it feels like to hear you have cancer at the age of 31. In my case i was 13 at the time. (talk about very young.) But after the "chop shop,Nuke and Sizzle treatment" i have been cancer free now for 20 years.
Its good to here that things have changed where treatment is concerned.( although you have to hunt for it!). I live in South Africa where Natural treatments are a way of life. Maybe one day there would a treatment for her cancer to come from it. (it wouldn't be the first time that's happened.) A large majority of "western medicines" come from nature.
thank you.
Wow, Johnxvet - I am surprised to find someone out there that feels that way. As someone who has gone both ways - first with over a year of chemo and major surgery and second by going to a healing place where I ate raw foods and wheatgrass - I would have to say that ridding my body of cancer cells the holistic, healthy was infinitely better in every way imaginable than what I went through with "conventional" treatment. And yes, there is a TON of science involved in alternative treatment - everything about the body healing itself is scientific - its just that the drug companies and lobbyists can't make any money off of it. Do you work for one of the drug companies???? Are you one of the people that profited from my $10,000 per treatment chemo sessions?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI was looking for something scientific in this article. It reads more like a "self-help" story.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisPlease, leave this stuff to Reader's digest and stick to articles about science.
Hi,
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI am the Dad of AJ, a 14 year old cancer warrior. I wanted to make you aware (maybe again) and enlist your help for the Cure Childhood Cancer petition! Our goal is to have a one-hour special produced on network TV devoted solely to CHILDHOOD CANCER to raise awareness. And to publish a parent-written book about our miraculous children, with all proceeds going to CureSearch.
The GREAT news is that CureSearch (story on the Petition), LIVESTRONG (story on the Petition) and Alexs Lemonade Stands have ALL written about the Petition on their websites! And TX Childrens and DUKE University have both allowed us to setup paper versions inside their hospitals! So this is a SERIOUS EFFORT AND WE ARE MAKING HEADWAY! Right now we are at nearly 12,000 signatures! But we need your help! If you can sign, and please make your readers aware, email it around, and give just a little airtime on your site, I know we can make this happen!
Thanks again,
AJs Dad
CarePage - AJsSpace
Childhood Cancer - Petition to Raise Awareness and Funding for a CURE!
She is such an amazing woman.If I was diagnosed with cancer I'd kill myself the very next day! She's an inspiration to everyone.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisit sounds like its your spirit that is whats really sick............you are miserable
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisHello,
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI had breast cancer in 1997. It did not enter my lymph nodes. I had the tumor removed. Then I had 33 treatments of radiation. Now I have bone cancer. It is not in my major organs. I am told if I do not have chemo that it will spread to my major organs very fast. I am told that I will only have 6 months to live it that happens.
I am new to the raw foods diet. I am doing well. Does anyone have a similar situation? If do did you have chemo. If you did what was it like. If not, did you cure it by the raw foods diet?
I have read some really good stories from survivors. Let me know what your experience has been and how long it took.
Hey Everybody,
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisKris is a huge inspiration for living life, to me.
I see that some of you are upset that her story was in Scientific American and as far as I can tell science is one way to "bring about health", but science and conventional medicine don't work for everyone. We need to get the word out to empower everyone to find their own way to health, whatever that means to them. whether that be living with Cancer or fighting it. we all have to find our own way and keep our power in the process. Johnxvet, Sirebral thank you for caring enough for people to remind them that conventional medicine works for some people. I think Scientific American has done a wonderful thing in exposing the scientific community to another way of looking at Cancer and illness in general! Hooray for open mindedness!
Hey Everybody,
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisKris is an incredible woman who has done amzing thing in her own healing!
I see that some of you are upset that Scientific American. I applaude them for their open minded recognition that science and medicine is not the healling path for everyone and putting another path out there for the scientific community to see.
Johnxvet and Sirebral thanks so much for caring enough to remind everyone that conventional medicine works for alot of people.
I did not have chemo or radiation for my diagnosis of breast cancer AND liposarcoma in March of 2008...instead I was blessed to be turned on to Kris Carr and her crazy sexy community of health activists. I have now had 3 clear PET scans, 3 clear MRIs and finally a clear mammo and ultrasound. I gave up meat, dairy and alcohol...still working on caffeine. I eat 80% raw, I practice yoga and I meditate and at 55 I have NEVER felt better in my life. I view my cancer as a catalyst to healing. Some are not so lucky and use conventional medicine to it's fullest...BRAVO for them! This is not a one-size-fits-all experience...but the beauty of tolerance is an AMAZING thing. Everyone has to find their own path. And there is success, and science, on both sides of this conversation.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI was diagnosed with EHE 5 years and 3 days ago. It was quite a journey! My family and friends just had a big celebration party for me. :)))
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI am going through a new treatment at University of Chicago Hospital. I take Rapamycin once a week with grapefruit juice and continue drinking juice for the rest of the week. The treatment is working great. My base tumor has shrunk 49% since I started on this combination 16 months ago. I consider myself very lucky and blessed.
Best wishes to all!
Two years ago tomorrow I had my first surgery for a nine pound liposarcoma wrapped around my left kidney .....then seven months later was diagnosed with another one in my left flank and had that one surgically removed as well...so two surgeries in less than two years and lost my left kidney....I too have the type of cancer unresponsive to chemo and radiation and actually see that as a godsend....am nervous about my next CT scan scheduled next week ...happe to have stumbled into Kris Carr and will research her websites ... I have to say that the C word is not as bad as some might think but it does make you think and appreciative of those close to you, even more so than before.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThe problem is that cancers grow and respond in different ways. I spent many years as a surgical tech. I depends how fast the tumors grow.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI was diagnosed with cervical cancer 2 years ago at the age of 34. My children were 4 and 1 years old. I had 1 lesion on the bottom of my cervix and 2 at the top. The day after I was told my mother came to stay with me to support me and how lucky I was that she stayed. I have always been such a believer in natural therapies for healing. My mother went down to the local health food store and came back with 2 books.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this1. the Breuss cancer cure
2. Escape from death row cancer jail by Barry Thomson
There was a phone number in the book and I was told to speak to the man whose number it was. I rang him and within and hour he was at my house and stayed for 3 hours. He was diagnosed with lung cancer told to go home and get his affairs in order. that was 3 years ago and he is cancer free to this day. He followed the Breuss cancer cure book and passed the tumour on day 40 of his fast. I began the fast but it didn't agree with me so after 11 days of only having juice and teas I began to eat organice brocolli and then put my focus on the second book. I did the Dr Hulda clarkes parasite kill, Bovine tracheal cartlidge, papaya leaf extract and ate a vegan diet. It was 20 days later that I had the cone biopsy to see if the cancer had spread. I awoke from the surgery as the specialist came over to me. She told me that it looked ok and she didn't know what had happened to the 2 lesions at the top of my cervix but the large one at the bottom was still there. A few days later my specialist rang me and told me that it was cin 3 and there was no cancer found. From having this experience it has opened a door to so many people that have cured their cancer naturally. I don't tell many people of my experiece because after it had happened I told so many people and some would roll their eyes in disbelief so I just gave up. That is my story and I will keep looking back at this site if anyone wants to know more information I would love to help open minded people. I don't know as much as Kris carr of course but what I do know is that all those things I did in the worst time of my life worked.
Why the heck is Scientific American covering Kris Carr???? Did you forget about the "Scientific" in the title of your magazine. Ms. Carr's gig is all about promoting "alternative therapies" - juicing, meditation, visualization, herbs, etc. - that have no scientific evidence behind them. Please don't turn this magazine into Oprah or Reader's Digest by promoting this junk.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIn addition, did you all even look at Ms. Carr's "books." They are little more than a series of charticles that offer fairly infantile cheerleading and suggest expensive options that might work for wealthy models who pal around with Sheryl Crow, but aren't affordable to the vast majority of Americans who have to work for a living. There are far more informative and serious guides to coping with cancer available that should be covered.
Finally, "Crazy Sexy Cancer"??????? What the heck is "sexy" about cancer? I find Ms. Carr's entire approach to this topic extremely offensive to the millions of Americans for whom cancer is a serious issue.
My first operation was Feb. 12, 2002 to remove a hemangioendothlioma tumor that had grown into my spine...my lumber. I've had 6 surgeries and a fusion. I then had an infection in my spine last summer (2009) and I wanted to die. Sent home with a pic line in my arm and injecting antibiotics. It took a year to get rid of and I had to walk with a cane. Radiation for 5 weeks got rid of the tumor, but I'm still scared it may grow back. Anyone who has had cancer knows what I'm talking about when I say the battle was long and horrible. Just horrible.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisGood luck to you. You inspire me.
I, too, am a cancer survivor, (not sufferer, as I am living with cancer, determined not to die from it), and I find a lot of hope in Kris Carr's story. For those of us for whom there is no scientific and/or medical treatment, it is good to know that one can live with cancer as a chronic disease, the same way people live with heart disease or diabetes or even AIDS. So called "alternative" alternative treatments, have in some cases, been used for thousands of years by other cultures. I will continue to try all methods available to me.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThomas A (comment 19):
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI would LOVE to correspond with you regarding your progress and what to expect from someone who actually knows. My niece was recently diagnosed with EHE on her thoracic spine, surgery scheduled in a few weeks. We are, of course, searching for information.
Thank you so much.
Aunt Nancy
We lost a friend last year to breast cancer. She wanted to use a holistic approach, focusing on diet and prayer. Her cancer was not metastatic when she was diagnosed. Her early and painful death was likely avoidable through standard of care treatment.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI doubt Ms. Carr would have recommended my friend's choice to forego any standard treatment, as she sought such treatment herself and appears open to do so again. Nevertheless, advocating a crazy, sexy, cancer diet based on her personal experience is irresponsible. At best. And here's why.
If you have an indolent cancer and eat well, it can remain stable. If you have an indolent cancer and eat only corn dogs and waffles... it can remain stable. If it's an indolent cancer.
Ms. Carr may very well have an indolent cancer, as her doctors have informed her. There is NOTHING to learn from her case by itself regarding the effectiveness of treating cancer with diet. Nothing.
Anything she writes that even suggests otherwise contributes to cases like my friend's. People die unnecessarily because they don't know bad science when they see it. It's not entirely their fault. They're not trained to know bad science.
The editors at Scientific American are trained. And they should know better.
Lives are at stake. Think harder. Please.
Best regards,
Friend of a Misinformed Cancer Non-survivor
I see your point, your cancer was curable, however it seems some people are facing rare and UNCURABLE and UNTREATABLE cancers. I see you are one of the LUCKY ones that has a cancer that is curable with treatment from the medical community, when they tell you stage 4, go home and live out your days, you might have a different comment to share.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI am sorry for the loss of your friend. It is hard to imagine that a person would decide to refuse treatment for cancer that might save their lives, however everyone has a right to decide how to handle their cancer journey, many times the medical treatment plan has huge agonizing side effects that ALSO can take your life earlier than the original cancer itself. Prayer is a great way to successful piece of mind.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisPlease encourage all family and friends to Pray, eat healthy (pills are not the only things that heal) and stay focused on the positive and loving things in their lives.
Hello. I was diagnosed with colon cancer at age 47. I've been a firefighter for 20 years. Like most of you, I've read a lot, and the decision to go alternative vs conventional is a tough one. I decided to go chemo/radiation, six weeks of it before surgery. The surgery removed a section of colon where they found the cancer and no surrounding lymph nodes were affected.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI keep seeing the same theme come up with people arguing for alternative treatments. I'm not against them working, but where's the science? I have friends who are doctors, they are not being controlled by drug companies! Where is the evidence that drug companies are controlling the medical industry, therefore not making it possible for people to be cured? Take a look at Pretty Kris Carr and the money she's raking in right now. It's nothing new to promote eating live foods and staying active and positive is good for you.
If there is a "Ton" of science backing the use of alternative treatments, please point me and everyone else the way!
Testimonies just don't work for me.
Dear Kym,
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI am fortunate to have found you in one of the replies under this article. One of my relative is suffering from Stage 4 Colon cancer with spread to Liver and couple of Lymph nodes. Surgery got a part of colon removed. Now the doctors said they would start Chemo this friday, but I want to consider this raw foods diet for him for sometime. I would like to contact/talk with you. Please reply back. I don't know whehter I can mention my email address.. But it is the same as myID@gmail.com. Please contact me as soon as possible.
Thanking you
Kiran