Chris Alldredge’s Journey with DSRCT: A Story of Resilience and Hope

In May 2024, Chris Alldredge was working as usual when he began to feel a strange pain near his belly button. Initially, he brushed it off—his doctor suspected a minor hernia, and Chris thought he might have just overdone something physically. But within days, the discomfort escalated dramatically. What started as mild pain evolved into a swollen, egg-shaped dome that became so sensitive, even a light touch was unbearable.

The pain grew so intense that Chris could no longer drive. His sister, Charissa, took him to the emergency room. Doctors there also suspected a hernia and attempted to push it back in. But further testing told a different story. A CT scan revealed a large mass—nearly a foot long—stretching from his chest to his belly button. It was cancer.

Chris was diagnosed with Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Tumor (DSRCT), an extremely rare and aggressive cancer. According to Christ, it's so rare that fewer than 250 cases have been confirmed since its discovery in 1989, and it primarily affects young people, not middle-aged men like Chris. That rarity meant delays and uncertainty in identifying and treating it. His scans were sent from Salem Hospital to OHSU, where a team of specialists spent over a week reviewing his case. The final diagnosis came from Dr. Da Graca at Kaiser Permanente, after a tumor board convened to determine exactly what they were dealing with.

Chris’s treatment began early in the summer of 2024. He was given an intense chemotherapy regimen, including a powerful drug nicknamed the “red devil.” It was so potent that his infusion center providers had to research how to administer it—no one had received such a high dose of chemotherapy in over a decade. While many patients are debilitated by this treatment, Chris shocked his care team by bouncing back quickly. He often felt better after chemo than he did before starting it, with more energy and significantly less pain.

He completed 8 rounds of chemotherapy by the end of September and underwent an advanced surgical procedure called HIPEC (Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy) on November 14. The surgery lasted over eight hours, during which doctors removed 25 pounds of cancerous and other materials, including parts of his colon and stomach. Afterward, his abdominal cavity was bathed in heated chemotherapy drugs for 90 minutes—a cutting-edge technique performed by only a few specialists worldwide.

The tumor was massive—1x1x1 foot—and had been pressing against his organs and spine.

Throughout this intense and uncertain journey, Chris has never walked alone. His younger sister, Charissa, has been his rock, providing daily care and unwavering support. He lives with her and her son—his nephew—while friends from Georgia continue to cheer him on from afar.

Chris shares his story to encourage others to listen to their bodies and advocate for their health:

“If you think something is wrong, go in and get it checked. Push for…the additional exams.” “The first indication is going to come from the patient that something isn’t right-isn’t normal. The earlier you can catch it, the better.” “It may not feel like you are making progress-stick with it.” “There is light at the end of the tunnel.”

Now, as he nears the end of his treatment, Chris is awaiting follow-up scans to confirm that all the cancer has been removed. So far, signs are promising. His team is hopeful for a clean prognosis once the final chemotherapy rounds are complete. Though the road has been long, Chris holds onto hope—and urges others to do the same.

“Being negative just reinforces more for the cancer than the treatment. Stay positive.”