Nurse's "Weird" Scan Order Saves Woman from Stage 4 Cancer

Kate Ping thought her bloated stomach was just stress. She was managing two family restaurants and caring for her son before his open-heart surgery, so digestive issues seemed normal.

But two months after her son recovered, the bloating hadn't gone away. Her abdomen felt tender around her belly button, prompting her to finally see a doctor.

Ping expected to schedule a colonoscopy. Instead, the nurse practitioner ordered a CT scan. "In my head, I'm thinking, 'That's weird. Why did she do that?'" Ping recalled.

The scan revealed Stage 4 ovarian cancer that had spread throughout her body. At 69 years old, Ping faced odds that only 30% of patients with her diagnosis survive five years.

"I was completely shocked," Ping said. "My husband and I were like deer in headlights."

Dr. Premal Thaker, the oncologist who treated Ping at Washington University School of Medicine, explained why cases like hers are so common. Ovarian cancer has no screening test, and its symptoms mimic menopause or digestive issues. It's the fifth leading cause of cancer death for women in the United States.

"It's very insidious," Thaker said. Warning signs include abdominal bloating, feeling full quickly while eating, and changes in bathroom habits.

Ping endured months of chemotherapy to shrink her tumors. Each three-week cycle knocked her out for a week with nausea and fatigue. But her numbers kept improving, and Thaker's constant encouragement kept her going.

Then came a moment that changed everything. Ping's husband had an appointment at the same primary care office where she'd first sought help. When Ping answered the confirmation call, she recognized the voice.

"I said, 'Are you the person that ordered my CT scan?'" Ping remembered. The nurse practitioner confirmed she was. She'd lost a close friend to undetected ovarian cancer and recognized Ping's symptoms as worth investigating.

"I truly think you saved my life," Ping told her.

After surgery in February 2025 that included a hysterectomy and thorough cancer removal, Ping completed additional chemotherapy and immunotherapy treatments. She finished her last infusion this spring.

Why This Inspires

Ping now dedicates herself to raising awareness about ovarian cancer symptoms. Restaurant patrons regularly share their own cancer stories with her, seeking hope in her recovery.

"Before I went through this, I would have just been like, 'Oh my God, that's terrifying,'" Ping said. "But now I know that there is hope." That nurse practitioner's instinct didn't just save one life—it created a ripple of hope spreading through an entire community.