Published Jul 19, 2021

Remembering ‘Top Chef’s’ Fatima Ali, Who Passed 2 Years Ago From Cancer: Has There Been Any Progress On Ewing Sarcoma Since?

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Remembering Fatima Ali

July marks Sarcoma Awareness Month. SurvivorNet remembers inspiring Top Chef contestant Fatima Ali, who passed away two years ago due to Ewing Sarcoma.
Ewing Sarcoma is a rare type of cancerous tumor of the bones, or the soft tissue around the bones.
Typical treatment for the disease is chemotherapy, radiation and surgery. However, researchers are consistently trying to find other treatment options that may benefit patients.

It’s been more than two years since restaurateur and Top Chef: Colorado contestant Fatima Ali passed away after a brave battle with cancer. She battled Ewing Sarcoma (a type of bone cancer) for three years, but has there been any progress in treatment since then? July is Sarcoma Awareness Month, so SurvivorNet takes a look at this disease and available treatment options.

After placing seventh on Top Chef: Colorado, Ali returned to New York City and was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma in 2017. At the beginning of 2018, she went through surgery and chemotherapy at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center where she was initially declared in remission that April. However, just a few months later in October 2018 Ali penned an open essay in Bon Appetit magazine where she shared that her cancer had returned and was declared in the terminal stage. She passed away in January 2019 at age 29.

Ewing Sarcoma is a rare type of cancerous tumor of the bones, or the soft tissue around the bones. Most often, Ewing Sarcoma begins in the pelvis, leg or arms but it can begin in any bone or, in some cases, in the tissues of the arms, legs, abdomen and other locations. The disease usually occurs in children and young adults, affecting only about 200 people each year.

Eight-year-old Lilly Bumpus, who was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma, is the epitome of resilience

Current Treatment for Ewing Sarcoma

Like Ali’s initial treatment plan, those diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma may be given chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery as their first-line treatment plan. However, experts have told SurvivorNet that many patients may benefit from doing multiple of these treatments as opposed to just sticking with one.

"More than other types of cancer, the benefits of multidisciplinary care should prompt most patients to be seen by a group that specializes in treating sarcoma," Dr. Dale Shepard, director of the Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Institute Phase I and Sarcoma Programs, told SurvivorNet in a previous interview. "Even if only for a second opinion or to develop a treatment plan, multidisciplinary care is crucial. As examples, patients may benefit from surgical resection or radiation therapy even with metastatic disease. Patients may benefit from the addition of chemotherapy to radiation therapy prior to surgery to resect a sarcoma."

Developments in Treating Ewing Sarcoma

Researchers are consistently searching and researching for new and better treatment options for those diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma. According to John’s Hopkins Medicine, targeted therapies are being studied to see how they could treat the disease. While immunotherapy has shown huge promise in treating other types of cancers, it’s still considered an experimental treatment for those battling Ewing Sarcoma. Additionally, experts say that they are studying genomic sequencing to see if a drug already approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) may benefit tumors that have specific biomarkers so that these targeted therapy can quickly attack the cancer cells.

Clinical trials could be an option as well. There are likely a few clinical trials for Ewing Sarcoma already at a select few cancer centers, so it’s important to talk about options with your doctor.

Dr. Leena Gandhi explains when you should consider a clinical trial

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

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