Doris Lewis wasn’t feeling like herself. The 80-year-old Clinton, Maryland, resident was experiencing nausea, abdominal pain, jaundice, and losing weight. Bloodwork done at an appointment with her endocrinologist for thyroid issues found she had higher than normal liver enzymes, so she made an appointment with her gastroenterologist. Having been successfully treated and observed for a benign tumor in her small intestine 12 years ago, she knew it was better to consult with her doctor than ignore her new symptoms.
An MRI found a 2.2 cm mass on her pancreas, which a biopsy confirmed was a type of pancreatic cancer called invasive adenocarcinoma. Doris was referred to medical oncologist Ankit Madan, MD, an experienced hematologist oncologist at MedStar Georgetown Cancer Institute at MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital.
“The team at MedStar Georgetown Cancer Institute at MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital has considerable experience treating all stages of pancreatic cancer, and we offer patients the full spectrum of treatments from expert physicians within MedStar Health,” explains Dr. Madan. “After the biopsy, we performed a CT scan and endoscopic ultrasound to stage Ms. Lewis’ tumor and discovered it was stage 1B. We were fortunate to have caught this cancer early, which gave us the best chance of curative treatment.”
Doris underwent five cycles of chemotherapy at MedStar Georgetown Cancer Institute at MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital to shrink the tumor as much as possible before the surgery. Then she had a surgery duct at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital known as the Whipple procedure to remove the head of the pancreas, where the tumor was located, as well as part of the small intestine, gall bladder, and bile.
“Dr. Madan and the whole team of doctors and nurses who treated me were great,” says Doris. “Everyone took the time to answer any questions we had and explain the process of treatment and what I should expect. Dr. Madan’s office staff even helped me schedule all my CT scans, getting me in quickly.”
The chemotherapy and surgery were successful and Doris has been cancer-free for almost two years. She has CT scans every three months and blood work every six weeks to check for any return of the cancer.
Doris is feeling like her old self again and back to her regular activities, shopping for groceries, working in her yard, and driving.
“If you’re facing cancer, put your trust in your doctors and yourself, always ask questions, and do your best to have a positive outlook,” Doris says.