Starr power: A colon cancer survivor’s journey of resilience

Starr Schulte's determination to find the best doctors and best care for her cancer treatment led her from Arizona to City of Hope Orange County, a move that changed the direction of her journey.

When she was first diagnosed, her aim was to live long enough to see her two children graduate high school. Now she thinks far beyond that. Her new goal? "Let's get to remission and stay there."

From the beginning, Schulte knew she wanted access to more than standard cancer care. At City of Hope Orange County, says Schulte, "I have a personalized treatment plan carried through with a sense of urgency by teams of experts in my type of cancer. This isn't standard cancer care, it's City of Hope - and it's made all the difference."

Schulte, who works as a realtor, and her husband Steve split their time between Yuma, Arizona and San Diego. When she began to experience abdominal pain in spring 2024, Schulte went to her primary care doctor in Arizona. The doctor thought the pain might be gastritis, although masses could be seen on Schulte's liver. More testing wasn't necessary, according to that doctor, because of Schulte's young age - she was 44 at the time - and her good health. Schulte, however, insisted on having a scan. The results revealed that Schulte had colon cancer which had spread to her liver.

"If I have one message for others, it's this," says Schulte. "More people are getting diagnosed with colon cancer at a younger age. Get a colonoscopy if you're at all eligible, and ask your doctor about getting tested even if you're younger than the recommended 45 years old - especially if you feel something's wrong. It could save your life."

At the community hospital Schulte went to, she was given chemotherapy, but doctors said the tumors had to shrink much more before surgery could be considered. Schulte sought a second opinion and then a third, but they did not offer a plan that satisfied her.

"I didn't want to wait until the chemo stopped working before we could try something else," Schulte says.

While testing for the second opinion, Schulte learned that cancer was also present in her lymph nodes and peritoneum. "That was a big blow," she says. Undeterred, she continued her search.

"A friend of mine said to call City of Hope," recalls Schulte. "That's when my journey changed course for the better."

In November 2024, she arrived at City of Hope Orange County Lennar Foundation Cancer Center and met with Pashtoon Kasi, M.D., the medical director of GI medical oncology. He recommended stopping chemotherapy immediately as her liver had become enlarged - something Schulte had not been told before.

Instead, Dr. Kasi recommended cetuximab infusions and a targeted antibody therapy called adagrasib. "You've been playing a game without your best game piece," Schulte recalls him saying. Impressed with Dr. Kasi and his approach, Schulte switched her care to City of Hope Orange County immediately.

"Dr. Kasi thinks outside the box," she says. "He's innovative. With his level of expertise, he has the knowledge and ability to offer advanced cancer care that goes beyond the baseline when it's the best way forward for me."

A few months after starting targeted therapy, Schulte underwent two advanced liver ablation surgeries at City of Hope. Her doctors found that nearly all the ablated tumors were dead, indicating that the drug was and continues to be effective.

Throughout her treatment, Schulte says, her husband, family and a group of friends who call themselves "Starr's Squad" have been a great support network. One friend who owns a small plane often flies her from Arizona to Irvine for her appointments at the cancer center.

Following the months of treatment and surgery, Schulte spent the summer relaxing on the beaches of San Diego with her family. Her post-surgery scans have shown excellent results.

Schulte says she is able to focus on healing, knowing City of Hope is there for her. "City of Hope sees you and treats you as the whole person you are," says Schulte. "Every person fighting cancer should have City of Hope anchoring their squad."

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