Jayne Adams Conquers Bladder Cancer and Returns to Writing Career
Charleston, South Carolina
Retired insurance executive, Jayne Adams, discovered a new lease on life after battling bladder cancer. Now living in the Beaufort area and pursuing a second career as a writer, Jayne credits her survival to her team of doctors from four different health systems, including MUSC Health in Charleston, and her own unwavering positive attitude.
Her Declaration: To Live to 115
“I want you to tell the tumor board that I am going to live to 115,” Adams told her doctor, Dr. Grubb. “I have books to write. So, don’t let them think I’m some little old lady who isn’t willing to fight this disease with everything she’s got! That’s not who I am.”
Her determination paid off. Her doctors declared her cancer-free following surgery at MUSC Health in Charleston in December.
Rerouting Plans: From Insurance Executive to Writer
Originally from the Boston area, Adams enjoyed a successful career as an insurance executive in New York. When she decided to retire, she knew she wanted to head for the Carolinas, specifically Beaufort, renowned for its community of fine authors. Embarking on her second career as a writer, she focused on writing short stories that followed the O. Henry model: character development with a surprise ending. The unexpected twist in her own life story was receiving a bladder cancer diagnosis post a relatively routine surgery.
A Brush with Bladder Cancer
When Adams experienced breakthrough bleeding, a side effect she connected to a medication she was taking, her doctor advised her to see a gynecologist. An unfamiliar surgeon’s name on her procedure’s paperwork led to the discovery of a mass in her bladder.
It turned out that blood in the urine, which Adams hadn’t experienced, is a key early sign of bladder cancer. Her past habits of smoking, a known risk factor for bladder cancer, and her mother’s diagnosis with the same disease put her in the at-risk category for this particular cancer type.
Tackling Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer
Adams was referred to MUSC Hollings Cancer Center where she met Dr. Robert Grubb, a urologist specializing in genitourinary cancers. In November 2023, she underwent a transurethral resection of the bladder (TURBT) to remove the tumor and determine if the cancer had spread or worsened to stage 2, muscle-invasive bladder cancer.
Since the tumor had grown into the muscle, she needed further treatment. Initially, Adams was referred to an oncologist in her area for chemotherapy. However, due to her overall medical history and potential severe side effects, chemotherapy was ruled out and she was referred to MUSC for expedited surgery, which further revealed additional treatable conditions.
A Victorious Cancer Battles and Gratitude for Coordinated Medical Care
Now declared cancer-free, Adams continues her post-operative surveillance routine comprising CT scans and X-rays. She expresses immense gratitude for her team of doctors from MUSC, Trident Medical Center, Beaufort Memorial Hospital, and Saint Joseph’s/Candler. The team’s collaboration, she believes, saved her life.
Her advice to anyone experiencing unusual symptoms? “Put your fears aside and get yourself to a doctor ASAP. Because if there’s something wrong, it’s not going to get better by putting it off.”
With surgery behind her, Adams can now focus again on her passion for writing with hopes of getting her novel published by the time she hits 115.
