«A CHANCE I HELD ONTO WITH BOTH HANDS»: A RARE SURGERY TO REMOVE PANCREATIC CANCER

It all started with a common stomach ache — Irina Anatolyevna from Kursk didn’t take it seriously at first. It hurt, she endured it. When the pain became unbearable, she turned to doctors, who diagnosed her with an ulcer with bleeding. A few weeks later — a different, far more frightening diagnosis: cancer. First, of the stomach. Then — of the pancreas. An extremely aggressive, massive tumor that had grown into the major blood vessels and the stomach.

In Kursk, oncologists prescribed chemotherapy for Irina — a standard and appropriate step for this form of pancreatic cancer spread. She underwent eight courses and achieved a good response: the tumor shrank, and her condition stabilized. But next came a new challenge. Performing surgical treatment in the region was not possible: reconstruction of major blood vessels was required, and this procedure can only be done at a federal-level center.

«I knew I wouldn’t give up just like that, and the first center I turned to was the National Medical Research Radiological Center», – Irina recalls. She went for a consultation at the P.A. Herzen Moscow Research Institute of Oncology. Here, Irina’s case was reviewed at a multidisciplinary meeting – and despite the extremely difficult location of the tumor, they decided to operate.

«The tumor invaded the body and tail of the pancreas, grew into the stomach, and affected the major vessels—the superior mesenteric artery and the portal vein. By all standards, this case would be considered inoperable», explains the abdominal surgeon and, at the same time, Irina’s attending physician, PhD in Medicine, Turon Mirzaev. «But we have everything: experience, technology, vascular surgeons, and most importantly, the determination to see it through».

The team was led by the head of the Abdominal Surgery Center, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Vladimir Trifanov. During the surgery, the specialists performed a resection of the affected parts of the pancreas, stomach, and portal vein, while preserving vital structures.
«Such procedures require surgical precision and seamless teamwork. We didn’t just remove the tumor – we preserved the artery and the stomach, which is critical for the patient’s future quality of life», –  emphasizes Vladimir Sergeyevich.

The operation lasted more than two and a half hours. Despite the large area affected, the surgeons reconstructed the blood vessels, avoided removing the liver, and achieved radical tumor removal. Such procedures are rare even by global standards.

Today, Irina Anatolyevna is preparing for discharge. Her voice is full of gratitude and determination: «I just wanted to live. And they gave me this chance. Here, people work who are not afraid of challenges. They gave me hope and a full life».