Med Student from Brazil Got Diagnosed with Cancer During Class

“When I found out, my world collapsed,” Barboza told Newsflash when she discovered that she had cancer. Her typical day at school made her learn an unforgettable lesson in her third year of medical school. During that class, Gabriella learned two things: how to diagnose a person with cancer — two, her professor accidentally diagnosed her with papillary thyroid carcinoma or PTC.

The cancer was discovered when Gabriella’s professor, Dr. Daniel Lichtenthaler, called her to show the class how to identify neck tumors. As he examined Gabriella, Dr. Daniel noticed actual signs of cancer in her neck. After her professor broke the news, she immediately consulted for a second opinion to confirm her case.

PTC is a type of cancer that affects the thyroid — a gland that helps in controlling blood pressure, heart rate, and temperature. The most common symptom that is easily recognizable is a lump on the neck called a nodule. PTC is a slow-developing cancer, but once the lump gets more noticeable, these symptoms will most likely follow:

Hard time swallowing

Sore throat

Swollen lymph nodes

Trouble breathing

Most papillary thyroid carcinoma patients are women under 40 years old. Moreover, the National Cancer Institute shared that 200,000 Americans each year get diagnosed with the disease. When Gabriella underwent examinations, it was disclosed that the cancer had already reached her esophagus.

“I kept thinking: ‘I’m too young to face this,'” she told Newsflash. “I cried a lot and didn’t want to believe it. It’s a moment when you see things can end.”

According to the National Library of Medicine, PTC is 85% highly curable because of its innocent biological behavior. For this reason, the doctors ensured Gabriella that she would survive PTC through treatments. Last November 2020, in São Paulo, the medical student bravely faced the first process of curing her PTC. The surgeons removed her thyroid and outlying neck tumors.

After that, she was introduced to iodine therapy. During this process, doctors utilize radioactive isotopes to eliminate cancer cells. Thankfully, in 2021, Gabriella became a part of the survivors of PTC after a series of therapy sessions. She takes biannual checkups for added assurance that cancer won’t occur again. Barboza even shared the good news on Instagram, and it was filled with heartwarming comments from her loved ones. People who read about her story congratulated her in the comment section.

In her post, she wrote the caption, “After months of struggle, I want to record this remarkable moment in my life, which has made me a better person and has made me see the world in a different way. I always wanted to be a doctor to take care of others and heal people, regardless of specialty. But after what I went through as a patient, I think my perspective has changed.”

Gabriella’s life-changing story has inspired many people, especially cancer patients. They certainly are one of the bravest people in this world — cancer is a tough battle as it affects both physical and mental health, and recovering from the disease is worth the celebration. If you have a loved one fighting cancer right now, share Gabriella’s story to give them a ray of hope during these trying times.