Doctors called her 'unbearable' acid reflux a normal part of pregnancy. Two weeks after giving birth, she found out it wasn’t

When 31-year-old Geraldine Levano was expecting her second child, experiencing discomfort felt like just another routine part of pregnancy. Like countless expectant mothers, she ignored the intense burning sensation in her chest, trusting that her symptoms were completely normal. In fact, whenever she consulted doctors regarding her acid reflux, they also assured her that her symptoms were quite normal during pregnancy. However, two weeks after her son was born, Levano discovered a painful lump right under her ribcage on her left side. What doctors uncovered later turned her world upside down, TODAY reported on October 16, 2026.

Just pregnancy pain?

Levano, a resident of Houston, Texas, was working as a medical assistant when her discomfort escalated from standard pregnancy heartburn into agonizing pain. "I couldn't even take the pain," she recalled, noting that she repeatedly consulted her co-workers and OB-GYN for reassurance. Every time she voiced her concerns, the medical professionals dismissed her fears with standard assumptions. "And of course they're like... it's just the baby; you're fine," Levano remembered. Even during emergency room visits when the pain spiked to unbearable levels, clinicians repeatedly assured her that her symptoms were quite normal for an expecting woman.

'You have cancer'

The horrifying reality came to light just two weeks after giving birth in early April 2022, when Levano noticed a painful lump under her left ribcage. An ultrasound ordered by her workplace doctor quickly spiraled into an extensive diagnostic imaging session. The following day, her pain escalated so severely that she could no longer walk or hold her newborn. Before even taking her vitals, the doctor just looked at the ultrasound and said, "You have cancer. We just need to figure out where."

A CT scan uncovered a massive, 8-centimeter tumor that was nearly obstructing her colon. Dr. Amit Agarwal, a professor and colorectal surgeon with UTHealth Houston and Memorial Hermann Hospital, explained that "The mass was actually pushing up on the stomach from behind it." He added, "Everything that she would eat was not necessarily being digested, so the acid would come back up." Her stage 3 colorectal cancer had been completely masked by her pregnancy.

It all makes sense now

Looking back, Levano realized she had also experienced weight loss and chronic constipation, alongside anemia, all symptoms easily brushed off as normal side effects of pregnancy. When she attempted a follow-up colonoscopy, the tumor was blocking the path so much that the physician could not advance the scope. Because of the mass's massive size and near-total obstruction, Dr. Agarwal determined she needed surgery before starting chemotherapy. Two weeks later, the new mom underwent surgery and woke up with an unexpected temporary colostomy bag. Her surgeon explained it was necessary to protect healing tissues from the weakening effects of upcoming chemotherapy.

A growing concern

According to new data published by the American Cancer Society, an estimated 158,850 new cases of colorectal cancer were expected to be diagnosed in 2026. Unfortunately, 3 in 4 colorectal cancer (CRC) cases in adults younger than age 50 are diagnosed as advanced disease. Furthermore, cases like this show how healthcare workers often dismiss a patient's concerns. According to a study published by the MITRE-Harris Poll, 52% of American patients reported having their symptoms ignored, dismissed, or doubted when seeking medical treatment.

Meanwhile, juggling a newborn, a toddler, and her own treatments while supporting her mother through endometrial cancer was overwhelming for Levano. "It was very, very hard," she shared, noting the severe fatigue, nausea, and neuropathic pain that accompanied her treatments. By August 2023, she was declared cancer-free, but subsequent testing revealed a surprise genetic component: Lynch syndrome, an inherited condition increasing the risk of early-onset cancers.

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