This Thanksgiving, Tempe Man is Grateful for ‘Pain in the Neck’ That Led to Lifesaving Cancer Diagnosis at Dignity Health St. Joseph’s

(Phoenix - Nov. 20, 2025) – This Thanksgiving, as families gather around their tables, a young Tempe man will be giving thanks as he celebrates four years of being cancer free after a pain in his neck revealed a life-threatening cancer diagnosis. Xavier Carrillo, 34, hopes to share his remarkable journey this holiday season to highlight the importance of listening to your body and shine a light on the remarkable medical team at Dignity Health St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center who saved his life.

“I am so grateful to the entire team at St. Joseph’s who jumped in and took care of me when  I needed them the most,” said Xavier. “I never expected to be diagnosed with cancer in my twenties. But, thanks to the amazing doctors and nurses, I am here today.”

It all started in December 2020 when  Xavier Carillo noticed a growing lump on his neck. It eventually got painful enough that he headed to St. Joseph’s emergency department. Doctors ran a series of tests and determined that the lump was actually enlarged lymph nodes and referred him for more imaging. 

Xavier powered through the pain during the holidays, but his condition continued to worsen. Soon, he found himself dizzy, constantly winded and unable to lie down without struggling to breathe. He wound up back in St. Joseph’s emergency department where an ultrasound revealed he had a significant amount of fluid building up in his chest cavity which was compressing his lungs.

After draining more than a liter of fluid surrounding each of  his lungs, a follow up CT scan revealed a shocking discovery. Xavier had a tumor the size of a grapefruit near his heart. This 17 centimeter tumor spread to the swollen lymph nodes in his neck.

Soon after, doctors at Dignity Health Cancer Institute at St. Joseph’s diagnosed Xavier with germ cell cancer. While this type of cancer is typically found in the reproductive organs, sometimes these cancerous cells can wander off and settle  into the chest cavity. 

“The doctors told me the tumor was too big to operate on right away,” said Xavier. “I had to undergo two months of intense chemotherapy in hopes that the tumor would shrink enough to be resected. It was wild.”

By summer, Xavier received the news he was hoping for - his tumor had shrunk to 4 centimeters.  That July, Dr. Jasmine Huang, a thoracic surgeon with Dignity Health St. Joseph’s Norton Thoracic Institute, successfully removed the rest of the cancerous tumor.

“Xavier’s story is a powerful reminder that listening to your body can truly be life-saving,” stated Dr. Huang. “If he hadn’t come to the emergency room when he did, his cancer would have continued to grow, becoming more aggressive and more difficult to treat, and potentially fatal. We are incredibly proud of how our team here at the Norton collaborates with the emergency room and specialties such as oncology—all working together to provide patients like Xavier with expert care for the best possible treatment and outcome."

These days, Xavier is back to work as a chef at a local sushi restaurant. He even celebrated his four year cancer anniversary with a special shout out from the Arizona Cardinals at the team’s Crucial Catch game in October. He has also developed a lasting friendship with his surgeon.

“I am super thankful for Dr. Huang,” said Xavier. “She literally helped save my life and I am so glad that we’ve stayed in touch over the years. I owe her and the St. Joseph’s team everything.”

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