Proton therapy helps survivor overcome two cancer diagnoses
In early 2022, Phil Sprick noticed a lump behind his cheekbone while shaving. He visited his ear, nose and throat doctor a few weeks later and eventually had surgery to remove what was believed to be a benign tumor in his right parotid gland.
“After the surgery, I was declaring victory,” recalls Phil, who was 65 at the time. “But two weeks later, I got a call from the doctor saying the biopsy results came back positive for cancer...
Stage III colon cancer survivor grateful for MD Anderson’s expertise
There was a point during colorectal cancer treatment when Tommy Allen didn’t think he was going to live. He was in pain 24 hours a day, the...
Clean scan compels patient to give back to MD Anderson
One day after receiving the most devastating news of his life, Scott Ferguson picked up the phone and called MD Anderson.
It was April...
Prostate cancer survivor thankful for second opinion at MD Anderson
Bill Kish’s prostate cancer diagnosis came after his doctor felt something unusual during his annual physical. Blood work showed his PSA level was at 5.3. He was 69, so this was higher than the normal range for a man his age.
A local urologist in San Antonio performed a CT scan and prostate biopsy to confirm that Bill had cancer. But he and his wife, Jacki, weren’t comfortable with the doctor’s diagnosis.
“They told...
Multiple myeloma and spine cancer survivor: ‘Always think about a second opinion’
In 2022, Emily Shults, then 47, had recently moved to Magnolia, Texas, from California, to be closer to family. During the move, she remembers...
Breast cancer survivor: ‘MD Anderson gave me my life back’
When Lucinda Rudolph was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in April 2020 after an annual breast cancer screening, she wasn’t given much...
Breast cancer survivor: second opinion led to correct diagnosis and treatment plan
Cancer is no stranger to Robyn Heid’s family. Robyn, the youngest of 10 children, lost a brother in 1992 to lymphoma and her father to prostate...
CAR T cell therapy put me into complete remission after a non-Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis
I’m a nurse, so when I started experiencing pain and swelling in my lower abdomen, I suspected inflammatory bowel disease, or even worse,...
For lung cancer survivor, third time’s the charm
When Fran Sargent’s doctor in Michigan said he’d need to remove her entire left lung to confirm she had cancer, her response was swift.
Getting answers for patients with a suspicion of cancer
Like clockwork, Katherine Moreno gets a cold every year. It always leads to bronchitis, then asthma.
“I don’t go anywhere without a...