Woman survives two cancers after surprising diagnosis: "I feel so lucky"
Summary
Vicky Titcomb, a 72-year-old woman, was unexpectedly diagnosed with pancreatic cancer after a routine heart scan. She also had breast cancer and a benign ovarian mass, and her doctors created a treatment plan including chemotherapy, radiation, and a complex surgery called the Whipple procedure. Early diagnosis helped make her treatment possible.Key Facts
- Vicky Titcomb is a 72-year-old bookstore owner and great-grandmother from Cape Cod.
- A routine heart scan showed an abnormality on her pancreas, leading to a pancreatic cancer diagnosis.
- Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest cancers with a low 5-year survival rate of about 13%.
- Titcomb also had stage 1 breast cancer and a benign ovarian mass.
- She had her ovary removed to handle the ovarian mass first.
- Treatment included chemotherapy, radiation, and the Whipple surgery, which removes parts of the pancreas and nearby organs.
- Only about 20% of pancreatic cancer patients are eligible for the Whipple procedure.
- The surgery used a robotic method to reduce recovery time.
- Early detection was key to allowing this treatment option.
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