Personalized cancer care helps pancreatic cancer survivor get back to life

Joseph Lecak has a zeal for life. He enjoys golfing, tending to his vegetable garden and traveling all over the U.S. with his softball team.

But a pancreatic cancer diagnosis in March 2025 changed everything. At one point during treatment, he got so sick that he resigned himself to whatever quality of life he was going to have while he got his affairs in order.

Thanks to a personalized treatment plan at UT MD Anderson, Joseph is now feeling much better and back to doing what he loves.

Pancreatic cancer diagnosis

Joseph competed in a softball tournament two weeks prior to his pancreatic cancer diagnosis.

“I played well, and my stamina was fine,” he recalls. “But about a week later when playing softball in my neighborhood, I felt extremely fatigued.”

Then came the digestive issues, the yellowing of his skin and dark-colored urine. After researching online, he thought the symptoms were related to his gallbladder. So, he went to an emergency room near his home in Georgetown, Texas.

A CT scan revealed a mass on his pancreas.

“The ER doctor said it was probably cancer and that it wasn’t his area of expertise; I needed to see a specialist,” recalls Joseph, who was 67 at the time. “He told me and my wife, Rose, that based on the size of the tumor, I probably had about six to 12 months to live.”

Joseph had family members who were treated at UT MD Anderson, so he was familiar with the care provided here. He had his first appointment with pancreatic cancer surgeon Matthew Katz, M.D., on April 1, 2025.   

Pancreatic cancer treatment

Katz went over treatment options with Joseph. The cancer was resectable, meaning the tumor could be surgically removed.

“He explained the Whipple procedure to me, and he didn’t sugarcoat anything. He told me it would be tough, but he believed I was healthy enough to fully recover,” says Joseph. “I told him that my goal was to be able to play in a major softball tournament against teams from all over the country within a year. He replied, ‘We can do that.’”

Joseph also met with gastrointestinal medical oncologist Chandrikha Chandrasekharan, M.B.B.S., who agreed with the treatment plan.

On April 7, 2025, Katz performed a complex Whipple procedure that included reconstruction of affected veins. Five of the 38 lymph nodes that were removed were positive for cancer. Joseph and Rose stayed in Houston for three weeks while he recovered.

“I had a pancreatic leak, but thankfully I was still in Houston when I started having symptoms, so my care team caught it quickly,” he says.

Doctors recommended Joseph get chemotherapy due to the lymph node involvement. The chemo would also help prevent cancer recurrence. Chandrasekharan arranged for Joseph’s port placement and chemotherapy to be administered near his home.

After one round of FOLFIRINOX, he became very sick and lost a lot of weight.    

Joseph spoke with his doctors, who explained that further chemotherapy with modifications is standard of care after recovery. Ultimately, he decided to stop taking chemo. He began palliative care locally, unsure of what his future would be.

Interventional radiology procedure provides relief

On his most difficult days, Joseph leaned on his support system, which included Rose, his local cancer support group, softball club, neighbors, friends and family. He also reconnected with his faith. This helped fuel his determination.

Joseph slowly began to ease back into playing golf and softball, though not at the level he was before. He developed ascites, which caused severe abdominal pain and made eating difficult.

“The buildup of fluid in my abdomen looked like I was carrying around a watermelon,” he says.

During a follow-up appointment at UT MD Anderson, Katz told Joseph that his ascites may be related to problems with his portal system. So, he referred Joseph to Interventional Radiology. He had a consultation with interventional radiologist Joshua Kuban, M.D., and physician assistant Rachel Futrell. They specialize in portal hypertension and procedures to improve the portal system.

They explained that a blockage of his portal vein was causing the ascites. Portal vein stenting is a minimally invasive procedure that allows them to reopen a critical blood vessel and restore healthy blood flow to the liver. By fixing the blockage, it would improve circulation, reduce fluid buildup and lower the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding. This would help Joseph feel better quickly without the need for major surgery. 

Joseph was on board. So, Kuban performed the procedure on Nov. 11, 2025.

“I felt almost immediate relief,” says Joseph. “My appetite improved. It was a phenomenal change, and my recovery since has been remarkable.”

Life after recovery

Joseph credits his recovery to his UT MD Anderson care team – whom he calls lifesavers – as well as his support system.

“I never felt isolated throughout the entire process; that’s a blessing,” he says. “I also took a lot of pictures and videos, and I wrote a lot in my journal. That helped me recover because I was able to see my progress, even if it was small.”

One notable point of progress: he’s back traveling the U.S. playing in major softball tournaments – the same goal he shared with Katz before his Whipple surgery.

His scans have remained clear, showing no evidence of disease. And he recently moved into surveillance at UT MD Anderson.

“UT MD Anderson is the best in the world for cancer care. That’s why I sought them out,” says Joseph.

He was excited to learn that UT MD Anderson will begin providing care in Austin at UT Dell Medical Center in a few years. 

“I live 40 miles from Austin, and a lot of people in my community make that drive to Houston to go to UT MD Anderson,” he says. “Everyone I’ve spoken to about it is excited to have that level of care and expertise close to home. Being able to get treatment and then come sleep in your own bed is a real positive. I’m extremely grateful for the care I’ve received.”

Request an appointment at UT MD Anderson online or call 1-877-632-6789.