Meet Marie Baffa: Navigating a Double Diagnosis

Surprises can be pleasant or unsettling. Marie and Robert Baffa experienced the second kind, when Marie received an unexpected double diagnosis of severe aortic stenosis and lung cancer. With help from Stony Brook Medicine, the Baffas navigated all the twists and turns of Marie’s journey back to health.

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Severe Aortic Stenosis

Marie's aortic valve, the valve separating the heart from the body's main blood vessel, was deteriorating because of stenosis (narrowing). Her interventional cardiologist, Daniel Montellese, MD, examined Marie and referred her to Stony Brook Heart Institute.

TAVR: A lifesaving option for people with severe aortic stenosis

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is a minimally invasive treatment for people with severe aortic stenosis (narrowing); it is now FDA-approved for those of all surgical risk categories: low-, moderate- and high-risk. TAVR is used to replace the aortic valve but does not require removing the damaged valve, which eliminates the need for invasive open-heart surgery. Side effects are minimized, and the procedure is safe for those who are at high risk of complications from surgery. For many, TAVR offers a lifesaving option, where none existed for them before. Stony Brook Heart Institute was among the first in the country to advance TAVR and offer it to low-risk patients, benefiting the lives of hundreds of cardiac patients in Suffolk County.

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) for Low-Risk Patients

Fortunately for Marie, Stony Brook Medicine was part of a study of the TAVR (transcatheter aortic valve replacement) procedure for low-risk patients. At the time of Marie’s procedure, this minimally invasive option was typically only used for patients who were considered high risk for traditional open-heart surgery because they are too ill to tolerate it. Marie and Robert found out that Stony Brook University Heart Institute, which has extensive experience performing TAVR, was one of only six facilities in the nation actively enrolling low-risk surgical patients as part of the “Low-Risk TAVR 2.0” trial.

A Routine Scan Discovers a Type of Lung Cancer

Next came news they weren’t expecting. A routine preoperative scan showed something embedded in Marie’s right lung. Further investigation revealed it was a malignant carcinoid tumor, a type of lung cancer. “It was quite a surprise, and was upsetting,” Marie recalled. Robert agreed, “We were certainly taken aback by it. We had our faith and the strong support of our children, Claudia and Brett, and our grandchildren, Gabriela and Xavier, every step of the way.”

At Stony Brook, Valve Clinic Coordinator Susan Callahan, NP, became their biggest advocate and helped the Baffas navigate Marie’s enrollment in the TAVR low-risk clinical trial and her two procedures.

The Heart Institute's cardiothoracic and interventional cardiology team performed Marie’s TAVR surgery together. One day later, she was discharged home. Another day after that, “We were walking on the beach and feeling exhilarated,” Robert said. “It is a miracle procedure.”

Heart-Healthy and Cancer-Free

Six weeks later, with Marie’s new aortic valve in place, it was time to tackle the lung cancer. A video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery lobectomy was performed, removing 40 percent of Marie’s right lung. The surgery went well, with biopsied lymph nodes coming back negative. “The combination of Marie’s aortic valve replacement, plus the unanticipated lung cancer diagnosis, was very overwhelming for her at first, but she pushed through her ordeal,” described her physician team. “She had a speedy recovery and is now heart-healthy and cancer-free.”

Because Stony Brook Medicine is an academic medical center, patients have the option to enroll in the newest clinical trials. This allowed Marie to be part of a study of TAVR for low-risk patients.

Recovering Well

Marie recovering well from her procedures. “I feel very lucky and very blessed,” she said. She and Robert are back to walking on the beach near their Port Jefferson home. “The beach is part of our forever routine,” said Robert — the couple met on Sand Street beach in Stony Brook when they were teenagers.

During Marie’s medical challenges, she and Robert prepared themselves for what they had to face. Marie is a Reiki healing practitioner, so she turned to Reiki and acupuncture for physical and emotional healing before the surgeries. And they say being able to talk comfortably with their doctors and get all their questions answered gave them confidence to go ahead with Marie’s treatment.