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At age 20, while studying sports management and marketing in college, Sean Kukoleck's life was disrupted by cancer.

He suffered his first-ever seizure, leading to the discovery of a large mass on the back of his brain. The oncologists at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center ran a number of tests and finally made the diagnosis: stage 4 high-grade glioma. Also known as glioblastoma, these brain tumors are fast-growing, aggressive and life-threatening.

“The diagnosis was devastating. My parents, my friends, my teachers – no one could believe this was happening,” Kukoleck recalls.

He underwent surgery, proton radiotherapy and chemotherapy, but he eventually decided to participate in a clinical trial at UPMC in Pittsburgh studying Keytruda (pembrolizumab), an immunotherapy drug that boosts the body's immune system to fight cancer, in late-stage glioma. For two years, as part of the study, he underwent treatments every three weeks and had regular MRI scans for two years.

Kukoleck and his parents not only listened to the advice of the health care team, but also found online support through the Cancer Research Institute.

“When we discovered the Cancer Research Institute, it changed my outlook, and I became less fearful about the future,” says Sean’s mom, Nicki Kukoleck. “The strides in immunotherapy that they support and the countless patient stories gave Sean and our family hope that he had a good chance to survive.”

After completing two years of treatment with Keytruda, Kukoleck is in full remission and is regularly monitored. He graduated in 2024 and is working in customer service with the professional baseball team, Cleveland Guardians.

Key Takeaways:

• Cancers diagnosed at younger ages are referred to as early-onset cancers, occurring in adults between 18 and 49 years old.
• Factors that may........
  

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