Jill Lewis

Photo courtesy of the Lewis family.
Jill with her husband Jim, and children Carly and Peter.

Jill Lewis was busy with family, church and a rewarding career helping underprivileged kids find their way to college. Neither she nor her primary care providers could figure out why allergies and sinus infections kept plaguing her. Running and weight lifting had kept Lewis healthy for years. Never before had she had such problems — she even lost her sense of smell.

In March 2003, a physician in Menomonie, Wis., referred her to Mayo Health System ear, nose and throat specialist Patrick Shinners, M.D., who sees patients two days a week at an Eau Claire clinic. During Lewis' first visit Dr. Shinners saw something abnormal in Jill's nasal cavity and knew she needed more diagnostic tests.

"On March 25, I had an MRI at Luther Midelfort Clinic in Eau Claire, Wis.," says Lewis. "Dr. Shinners called me back the same day because he wanted me to return for more testing. He biopsied the mass identified by the imaging studies."

Time stopped for Lewis three days later when Dr. Shinners told her that the tests showed cancer. Pathology reports revealed that Lewis had esthesioneuroblastoma, a rare cancer that develops in the nerves in the upper nasal cavity that control the sense of smell.

"After I saw all of the imaging studies and lab work, I talked to Jill, and we decided it would be best for her to go to Mayo Clinic for treatment," said Dr. Shinners. "I called my former teacher Dr. Olsen and asked him to see Jill."

As a resident at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Dr. Shinners had studied under Kerry Olsen, M.D., an otorhinolaryngologist (head and neck surgeon) and expert in esthesioneuroblastoma treatment. Dr. Olsen saw Lewis a few days later. Additional tests confirmed the diagnosis of esthesioneuroblastoma, and Dr. Olsen scheduled her for surgery.

"Jill's cancer seemed to be spreading very quickly," says Dr. Olsen. "Esthesioneuroblastoma is rare, and each case can behave differently. The unique aspect about Jill's case was the extensive involvement of the right parotid gland and lymph nodes in her neck."

Lewis had her first surgery on April 7. In a lengthy surgery Dr. Olsen made an incision across Lewis' neck from ear to ear. He removed the right parotid gland and lymph nodes from both sides of the neck. In all, more than 20 lymph nodes contained cancer. He also performed tests to determine whether the cancer had spread to other locations in the body.

Just 10 days later Lewis had her second surgery. This time Michael Link, M.D., a neurosurgeon at Mayo Clinic, worked with Dr. Olsen to remove the primary tumor that had developed behind Lewis' nose. In a procedure called a cranio-facial resection, Dr. Link worked through a surgical opening in the skull (craniotomy), while Dr. Olsen made an incision along the side of the nose (lateral rhinotomy).

Dr. Link and Dr. Olsen had good news to report to Lewis after the second surgery. The esthesioneuroblastoma tumor had not entered Lewis' brain. Pathology reports showed that the membrane around the brain was intact. Reports from the first surgery and other diagnostic tests showed that the cancer had not traveled to other organs below the lymph nodes in Lewis' neck. Lewis felt very fortunate in the days that followed her surgery.

"My care at Mayo Clinic was unbelievable," says Lewis. "The physicians at Mayo have care and concern for the whole person. They work together so well, respecting each other's expertise. Dr. Olsen and his resident even came to check up on me on Easter Sunday before they went to their churches. Between my doctors and other care providers, there was never any doubt in my mind that everything would turn out fine. He [Dr. Olsen] has even called me at home to check my progress."

The running and weight lifting paid off for Lewis in recovery. Within two days of the first surgery and six days of the second, doctors released Lewis from the hospital. Follow-up treatment at Mayo Clinic included seven weeks of radiation and chemotherapy to kill any remaining cancer cells. Recovery from the follow-up treatment has taken Lewis longer, but slowly she's getting her running legs back.

"I look at things differently now. I just know that every day counts, and I feel so lucky to have the support of family, friends and faith to get me through this whole cancer ordeal." Lewis said.