What is fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma? TikTok star Rachel Yaffe dies aged 27
TikTok star Rachel Yaffe of Maryland died aged 27 on October 11, after seven long years of battling a rare form of liver cancer — fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma. Yaffe, diagnosed at 20, began documenting her journey through the treatments and healing on TikTok and Instagram, gaining over 60,000 followers.
As the Fibrolamellar Cancer Foundation defines the condition — fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma is a unique liver cancer that mainly affects "adolescents and young adults", who surprisingly never suffered any liver malfunction before.
Symptoms for this type of liver cancer begin arriving much later by when the cancer likely already spreads to other body parts. Once the symptoms start showing, the affected person commonly goes through weight loss, abdominal pain, and general discomfort and weakness.
According to the foundation, FLC occurs when,
"A normal cell in the body undergoes a mutation that allows it to divide uncontrollably. Descendants of that cell can expand in number and form a tumor."
The cancer turns malignant and rapidly spreads across the body if multiple different genes go through mutation. In cases where the spread is limited within the liver, FLC can be cured by surgically removing the tumor/tumors.
Rachel Yaffe was diagnosed at stage 4 of FLC
Rachel Yaffe shared during her battle with fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma that her initial symptom was a bloated abdomen, which she dismissed as a common case of gluten intolerance. However, after going through the diagnosis she found out the cancer already reached its fourth stage, and a 20cm tumor was found in her liver.
She immediately underwent surgery a few days later for the tumor removal. To her dismay, the cancer returned after three months with tumors forming in her lungs and liver. Yaffe told her followers that she experimented with traditional methods as well as alternative medicines to get rid of the cancer.
During her healing journey, Rachel Yaffe told her TikTok followers she had been a "plant-based vegan for quite a long amount of time". However, her nutrient-deficient condition required her to undertake a more protein and fat-filled diet. Yaffe began venturing into a "keto carnivore diet", which she said was "so new" for her.
The TikTok influencer moved to her sister’s place in New York in September 2023, after relocating from Los Angeles. Shortly after, she suffered a lung hemorrhage in February 2024. Yaffe explained to her followers the pressure from the tumor on her heart hampered the airflow to her lungs, leaving it bleeding.
Rachel Yaffe went through urgent medical care and had to be incubated for three days, after which her parents allowed her to undergo immunotherapy and radiation to reduce the size of the tumor from within.
In a later health update in June, Yaffe said her MIT scan reports contained both positive and negative information. Most of the tumors in her body appeared "stable", as Yaffe said.
However, the doctors were concerned about one of the tumors in her abdomen and suggested she proceed with proton therapy. Yaffe went to live with her parents in Baltimore following the procedure and later returned to New York in August.
During the last few weeks of her life, Yaffe’s physical health deteriorated as she appeared even frailer. The 27-year-old also shared about her low appetite but said she was trying to prioritize her mental health.
In her obituary posted by Sol Levinson's website, Rachel Yaffe is said to be survived by her parents, brother, sister, and grandmother.