| The Austin American-Statesman in Texas | | | | able to get him into a clinical trial that gave |
| recently reported the seven-year survival of | | | | radiation and chemotherapy before surgery. |
| pancreatic cancer patient and software executive | | | | As the Austin American-Statesman notes: |
| Mike Beeman. Beeman, now 63, credits his | | | | "In January 2002, doctors removed Beeman's |
| survival to good luck and great medical care. | | | | tumor, his gallbladder, and part of his intestine and |
| "When they found the tumor, they really thought | | | | bile duct, along with part of his pancreas, an organ |
| I probably should go home and enjoy the last six | | | | behind the stomach that secretes hormones and |
| months I had left," he told the paper. | | | | enzymes that aid in digestion. Six months ago, |
| This extraordinary survivor of one of the most | | | | Javle was so pleased with his patient's progress |
| dreaded cancers had a take-charge attitude from | | | | that he told Beeman there was no need to come |
| the very first, however. He had gone to see his | | | | back." |
| doctor when he noticed a change in the color of | | | | Beeman benefited from the fact that his tumor |
| his urine. In Beeman's case, this turned out to be | | | | was resectable, that is, it was in a location that |
| the result of the tumor pressing against the bile | | | | allowed surgical removal, and he had the very |
| duct. | | | | finest medical care. As you can learn from the link |
| And Beeman was both fortunate to have an | | | | below, even some "difficult cases" of pancreatic |
| operable tumor and brave enough to have the | | | | cancer that could not be surgically treated also |
| procedure. Treating Beeman at M. D. Anderson | | | | resulted in long-term remission. |
| Hospital in Houston, oncologist Dr. Milind Javie was | | | | |