Hallmark Star Brennan Elliott Supports Beloved Wife Camilla Row, 45, After ‘Mass Excision’ Surgery Amid Stage Four Stomach Cancer Battle

What You Need to Know About Gastric Cancer

Last week, the news outlet reported that Row took to her Instagram account on June 7 to share a photo of herself resting in a hospital bed in Los Angeles, with her supportive husband by her side. Elliott confirmed the report by posting a link to Heavy’s article to his Instagram story a day later.

“Brennan has been pulling double duty, prepping for a movie & coming to see me daily, making the best of a makeshift office in my hospital room as I nap,” Row reportedly wrote in her post.

She also said she is “desperately missing” their nine-year-old daughter Luna and 12-year-old son Liam, as she also had a blood transfusion and is staying in the hospital.

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Row noted in her June 7 post that she’s “doing well overall.” However, she explained, “I’m struggling to manage my pain & nausea, unable to eat, and ended up needing a blood transfusion… but my surgeon was able to pull it off again so it was all worth it.”

She continued, “She [the surgeon] was able to get the all scar (hopefully no cancer) tissue in question and was able to successfully close a 6-7 inch incision on my torso up. I did lose my belly button…

“In pain but so so blessed. And so much gratitude. Thank you all for following me on this crazy ride. I will update more as I find out more…”

Camilla Row’s Ongoing Cancer Journey

Camilla Row was diagnosed with an aggressive form of stomach cancer called poorly differentiated gastric adenocarcinoma when she was 39 years old, after experiencing constant heartburn, something she thought could be a symptom of a heart attack.

Recounting the symptoms she experienced to City of Hope, Row said, “The pain [heartburn] was burning, stabbing, and most nights I was in tears. I would wonder if I was having a heart attack.”

In a more recent interview with TODAY.com, Row said she experienced a heartburn-like pain for more than two years and made changes in her diet, even slept on an incline pillow, but nothing seemed to work.

Instead, her gastroenterologists told her to take medicine to minimize stomach acid. But when the pain worsened and Row feared she could be having a heart attack, she recalled begging her doctor for help.

It was then her doctor scheduled her to have an endoscopy, which revealed she had stomach cancer, something she admitted she had no knowledge of.

Row’s symptoms had begun in 2015, but she didn’t receive her diagnosis until 2018. Her diagnosis came as a shock as she considered herself healthy and has no family history of the disease.

Following her stage one diagnosis, she had her whole stomach and 47 lymph nodes surgically removed. She also underwent chemo and had her esophagus connected to her small intestine.

After that, she was monitored every six months with CT scans and blood tests to check for cancer recurrence.

WATCH: After a Diagnosis, Be Kind to Yourself.

In 2021, a blood test that checks for circulating tumor DNA turned out positive and tumors were eventually found on her ovaries, which were due to her gastric cancer. She was then diagnosed with stage 4 stomach cancer, and had her ovaries and fallopian tubes removed.

Row, who has remained positive throughout her cancer journey and has underdone seven heated chemo therapies, as well as traditional chemo, told TODAY.com, “I’ve actually just surpassed my expiration date because when I was first diagnosed (with stage 4 cancer), the longest prognosis I got was 24 months. So to be here and say I’m still here, I’m still doing extremely well.”

However, Row took to her private Instagram a few months ago, as per Heavy, to reveal cancer was once again found in her body after having her quarterly laparoscopic check of her peritoneum, something she reportedly says her husband has dubbed “looking under the hood.”

She wrote, in a March 27, 2024, post, “Two out of five samples came back positive for cancer. I know now my cancer is trying to comeback in the most ferocious and sneaky way. Just to remind you all, I had an ALL CLEAR Pet-Ct scan not even a month ago.”

The update came just months after she underwent surgery and 10 rounds of a new chemotherapy drug.

Understanding Stomach Cancer

Stomach cancer, also known as gastric cancer, arises from the cells lining the stomach, an organ integral to the digestive process. This type of cancer is characterized by its aggressive nature and a tendency to be diagnosed in advanced stages, which poses significant treatment challenges.

The progression of stomach cancer is often silent and insidious, with early symptoms that are easily overlooked or mistaken for common digestive complaints. This stealthy advance is a primary reason why gastric cancer often evades early detection.

According to the World Health Organization, gastric cancer occupies is the fifth most common cancer across the globe. More alarmingly, it is the third leading cause of cancer-related mortality. These statistics underscore the global impact of gastric cancer and the critical need for increased awareness, early detection, and more effective therapeutic strategies.

The journey from a healthy stomach lining to cancerous growth is not fully understood, but it is known to involve a combination of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. Infection with Helicobacter pylori, a bacterium linked to ulcers, is a known risk factor, as are diets high in smoked and salted foods and low in fresh fruits and vegetables. Other contributing factors may include chronic gastritis, smoking, and certain genetic predispositions.

Treating Stomach Cancer

The treatment of gastric cancer is a complex process that is tailored to the individual’s specific stage of cancer, overall health, and personal treatment goals. It often involves a multidisciplinary team of specialists, including oncologists, surgeons, gastroenterologists, radiologists, and pathologists, to ensure a comprehensive approach to care.

Surgical Treatment

Surgery is the cornerstone of curative treatment for gastric cancer, particularly in the early stages. The extent of surgery depends on the tumor’s location, size, and stage. The types of surgery include:

• Endoscopic Resection: For very early-stage cancers (T1a) that have not invaded beyond the superficial layers of the stomach lining, endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) or endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) may be performed.
• Partial Gastrectomy: Removal of part of the stomach (subtotal gastrectomy) may be indicated for tumors located in the lower or middle portions of the stomach.
• Total Gastrectomy: For tumors that involve a larger portion of the stomach or are located near the esophagus, the entire stomach may be removed.
• Lymph Node Dissection: The removal of surrounding lymph nodes (lymphadenectomy) is typically performed to ensure the cancer has not spread and to aid in staging.

Chemotherapy

Different types of chemotherapy may be used at different points during treatment, including:

• Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy: Administered before surgery to shrink the tumor and make it easier to remove.
• Adjuvant Chemotherapy: Given after surgery to kill any remaining cancer cells and reduce the risk of recurrence.
• Palliative Chemotherapy: Used in advanced stages to relieve symptoms and improve quality of life when curative treatment is not possible.

Radiation therapy may be used in combination with chemotherapy (chemoradiation) either before surgery to shrink the tumor or after surgery to destroy any remaining cancer cells. It can also be a palliative treatment to relieve symptoms such as pain or bleeding.

Targeted therapy drugs focus on specific abnormalities within cancer cells. For example, trastuzumab (Herceptin) may be used for HER2-positive gastric cancers, which have high levels of the HER2 protein.

Immunotherapy is a newer form of treatment that helps the immune system recognize and attack cancer cells. Drugs like pembrolizumab (Keytruda) may be used for advanced gastric cancer, especially when the cancer has a high level of PD-L1 expression or is MSI-H (microsatellite instability-high).

Relationships and Cancer

Like Elliott and Row, many couples who found themselves facing a health struggle, like cancer, together developed a new-found appreciation for the relationship they had built.

Take it from actress and melanoma survivor Jill Kargman.

“I think cancer is a great way to find out if you’re with the love of your life or a sh*thead,” she previously told SurvivorNet. “I think it presses the fast forward button on getting to the bottom of that answer, because a lot of people in middle age are kind of at a crossroads, waiting for their kids to fly the coop.

“I think if you’re with someone who is not supportive and kind of emotionally checked out or doesn’t tell you you’re still beautiful with that, this might not be your person.”

Jill Kargman on Relationships and Cancer

Though it might not be the case for all couples, there are many who see their relationships strengthen after they are thrown the curveball of cancer.

Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

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