Woman discovers grapefruit-sized heart tumor while 32 weeks pregnant

January 9, 2023

As if being pregnant wasn’t challenging enough, one woman is lucky to be alive after doctors discovered she had a “grapefruit-sized” tumor on her heart while she was 8 months along.

“When I saw the tumor for the first time — I was stunned,” said Zoe Plastiras, 23, of her ongoing medical saga.

The UK native’s ordeal began in September when she started experiencing breathing problems and other health issues while nearing her due date.

“I got to 32 weeks pregnant and kept losing my breath and had a bit of a cough,” Plastiras, who initially attributed her symptoms to side effects of her pregnancy, told Jam Press.

Nonetheless, the self-employed brow technician and makeup artist dialed emergency services, who advised her to report to the hospital. There, after subsequent X-rays and bloodwork, she was discharged with a “‘slight abnormality’ with my heart,” the Brit said.

However, the next morning, Plastiras discovered that she had received several missed calls, as well as messages telling her she needed to report to the hospital’s cardiology department “within the next 10 minutes.”

Plastiras is slated to begin chemotherapy on January 10, 2023. — Plastiras is slated to begin chemotherapy on Jan. 10, 2023.

Plastiras with her now three-month-old baby Ophelia. — Plastiras with her now 3-month-old baby Ophelia.

She hurried to the medical center, where she learned the life-changing news.

“I remember the nurse said: ‘How much do you want to know?’ I said: ‘Everything — I’m about to be a mom. I have to know everything’” recalled the petrified parent-to-be. “That’s when she broke the news to me that they’d found a mass the size of a grapefruit in my chest, and I was being tested for cancer.”

Plastiras was admittedly devastated: “Me and [my partner] Joe looked at each other in complete shock, it was an awful day. I’ll never forget it.”

Subsequent scans showed that that the tumor measured 11.7 centimeters by 6 centimeters by 9 centimeters — the size of a grapefruit.

“Seeing the size of it next to my heart was shocking,” Plastiras said. “I could not believe how huge it was and that it had been inside me with me not knowing.”

Platiras regularly shares updates on her cancer journey on Instagram. — Plastiras regularly shares updates on her cancer journey on Instagram.

Platiras blames the stress of her diagnosis for her water breaking several weeks early.

"At the time of my labour I was so anxious about the kind of treatment I would need," described Plastiras. — “At the time of my labor, I was so anxious about the kind of treatment I would need,” described Plastiras.

As Plastiras’ symptoms were minimal, doctors postponed invasive procedures until after the patient’s daughter, Ophelia, was born in October, whereupon biopsies confirmed that she had Stage 2 non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

This type of cancer forms in the lymph system, which is part of the body’s immune system, according to the National Cancer Institute. “In stage II, cancer is found in two or more groups of lymph nodes that are either above the diaphragm or below the diaphragm,” NCI experts reported.

Plastiras believes that the diagnosis exacerbated the already grueling gestation process, claiming that the “horrible anxiety and stress” caused her water to break two weeks early. When her labor didn’t progress, she required an emergency cesarean section.

“Being a mum gets me through this and I’m so glad she’s [her daughter Ophelia] is not old enough to understand," said Zoe Plastiras. — “Being a mum gets me through this, and I’m so glad she’s [her daughter Ophelia] is not old enough to understand,” said Zoe Plastiras.

“A few weeks into my diagnosis I met my surgeon and that’s when I saw the tumour for the first time – I was stunned,” said Plastiras. — “A few weeks into my diagnosis I met my surgeon, and that’s when I saw the tumor for the first time – I was stunned,” said Plastiras.

The final days leading up to Ophelia’s birth were particularly trying for Plastiras, who had decided to go through with the pregnancy sans a cancer treatment plan.

“At the time of my labor I was so anxious about the kind of treatment I would need,” the distraught mother described. “Originally I was told I’d need open-chest surgery, which petrified me. It would have meant I couldn’t pick up my baby for two or three months while I recovered.”

She added, “The idea of this was heart wrenching. I cried so many tears.”

Salvation came after Ophelia was born, whereupon doctors decided to discard the chest surgery options and instead have Plastiras undergo six rounds of chemotherapy. “It’s been a huge relief that I won’t have surgery, but I am so sad to lose all my long hair,” lamented Plastiras, who will undergo a PET scan following her chemo regimen to see if she’s cancer-free. If it’s still present, doctors will mull putting her on more chemo or radiotherapy.

Following her six-round chemo regiment, Plastiras will undergo a PET scan to see if she's cancer-free. — Following her six-round chemo regimen, Plastiras will undergo a PET scan to see if she’s cancer-free.

Plastiras is also documenting her cancer saga on her Instagram page @lymphomaawarenesszoe, where she aims to raise awareness for other patients who may be facing a similar ordeal.

Meanwhile, Plastiras ultimately credits Ophelia with saving her life.

“I will forever be grateful for my daughter, as I believe they would never have found this mass if it wasn’t for her pushing everything in my body around,” she said. “Now, Ophelia is nearly three months old, and I have a diagnosis. Everything has settled and so have my hormones, so I feel good.”

She added, “The name Ophelia means ‘to help and aid’ which is exactly what she has been doing for her mommy all this time.”