Deb H. – Duodenal Cancer Patient Story

Deb Harden, 67, of East Petersburg, Pa., began having abdominal cramps and pain in 2023. While celebrating with family on Thanksgiving, Deb’s pain became severe, and she headed to the nearby UPMC Lititz Emergency Department. There, a CT scan and endoscopy revealed she had a tumor on her duodenum, a part of the small intestine.

Deb, 67, was referred to Kyo Chu, MD, a surgical oncologist at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center. Dr. Chu met with Deb at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center at UPMC Outpatient Center in Mechanicsburg, a 45-minute drive from her home.

Dr. Chu recommended that Deb undergo Whipple surgery, a complex technique that removes part of the pancreas and nearby organs, then involves rerouting the pancreas to the small intestine. The goal is to fully remove the cancer to prevent it from growing and spreading to other organs.

“Dr. Chu explained things and gave me diagrams,” Deb says. “He made sure I had my questions answered.”

Complex Cancer Care in Cumberland County

In January 2024, Dr. Chu performed the Whipple, assisted by surgical oncologist Samer AlMasri, MD, at UPMC West Shore in Mechanicsburg. Dr. Chu removed Deb’s duodenum, the tumor, 20 lymph nodes, and parts of her stomach and pancreas.

Afterward, Deb recovered in the intensive care unit. As a former medical professional, she was impressed with the compassionate care Dr. Chu and his team provided.

“They treated me like I mattered to them. Everyone was caring and helpful,” she says.

“I could tell Dr. Chu was genuinely concerned for my welfare. He would visit me in the hospital, and he listened to me. His team of nurses and interns would ask me questions.”

After recovering further at her daughter’s home for three weeks, Deb was referred to Naeem Latif, MD, a medical oncologist at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center in Lititz. Under his treatment plan, she underwent three sessions of chemotherapy to kill any remaining cancer cells.

Three months after her surgery, Deb followed up with Dr. Chu and continued to do so for one year. Now, she sees him every six months.

“The nurses in the office have always been available to answer my questions,” she says. “I spoke to Laura, the nurse navigator, quite a bit, and she was very gracious with all my questions.”

Deb returns to Dr. Latif’s office every three months for a custom-designed blood test that detects the presence of circulating tumor DNA. This can identify recurrent cancer earlier.

Cancer-Free

“The test results have been negative, so right now, I claim to be cancer-free. I’m feeling very good,” Deb says. “I feel blessed to have been part of the UPMC team. I’ve praised UPMC and the different facilities I’ve been in, and I’ve always received excellent care.”

Deb adds that a positive attitude and prayers from family, friends, and her church uplifted her during treatment and her recovery.

“Dr. Chu always stressed having a positive attitude is important, and that’s been beneficial,” she says. “He said, ‘The better attitude you have, the healing will follow, and it will be part of your progression.'”

As a full-time RVer, Deb looks forward to being able to get back to traveling with her husband and spending time with her grandkids in Lancaster.

Deb’s treatment and results may not be representative of all similar cases.