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.<\/p>\n
But a pancreatic cancer diagnosis<\/a> in March 2025 changed everything. At one point during treatment<\/a>, 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<\/a>.<\/p>\n Thanks to a personalized treatment plan at UT MD Anderson, Joseph is now feeling much better and back to doing what he loves.<\/p>\n Pancreatic cancer diagnosis<\/p>\n Joseph competed in a softball tournament two weeks prior to his pancreatic cancer diagnosis.<\/p>\n \u201cI played well, and my stamina was fine,\u201d he recalls. \u201cBut about a week later when playing softball in my neighborhood, I felt extremely fatigued<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n Then came the digestive issues, the yellowing of his skin<\/a> and dark-colored urine<\/a>. 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.<\/p>\n A CT scan revealed a mass on his pancreas<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cThe ER doctor said it was probably cancer and that it wasn\u2019t his area of expertise; I needed to see a specialist,\u201d recalls Joseph, who was 67 at the time. \u201cHe told me and my wife, Rose, that based on the size of the tumor, I probably had about six to 12 months to live.\u201d<\/p>\n 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.<\/a>, on April 1, 2025.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Pancreatic cancer treatment<\/p>\n Katz went over treatment options<\/a> with Joseph. The cancer was resectable, meaning the tumor could be surgically removed<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cHe explained the Whipple procedure<\/a> to me, and he didn\u2019t sugarcoat anything. He told me it would be tough, but he believed I was healthy enough to fully recover,\u201d says Joseph. \u201cI 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, \u2018We can do that.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Joseph also met with gastrointestinal medical oncologist Chandrikha Chandrasekharan, M.B.B.S.<\/a>, who agreed with the treatment plan.<\/p>\n On April 7, 2025, Katz performed a complex Whipple procedure that included reconstruction of affected veins. Five of the 38 lymph nodes<\/a> that were removed were positive for cancer. Joseph and Rose stayed in Houston for three weeks while he recovered.<\/p>\n \u201cI had a pancreatic leak, but thankfully I was still in Houston when I started having symptoms, so my care team caught it quickly,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n Doctors recommended Joseph get chemotherapy<\/a> due to the lymph node involvement. The chemo would also help prevent cancer recurrence<\/a>. Chandrasekharan arranged for Joseph\u2019s port placement<\/a> and chemotherapy to be administered near his home.<\/p>\n After one round of FOLFIRINOX, he became very sick and lost a lot of weight<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Interventional radiology procedure provides relief<\/p>\n On his most difficult days, Joseph leaned on his support system, which included Rose, his local cancer support group<\/a>, softball club, neighbors, friends and family. He also reconnected with his faith. This helped fuel his determination.<\/p>\n Joseph slowly began to ease back into playing golf and softball, though not at the level he was before. He developed ascites<\/a>, which caused severe abdominal pain and made eating difficult<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cThe buildup of fluid in my abdomen looked like I was carrying around a watermelon,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n 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<\/a>. He had a consultation with interventional radiologist Joshua Kuban, M.D.<\/a>, and physician assistant Rachel Futrell. They specialize in portal hypertension and procedures to improve the portal system.<\/p>\n They explained that a blockage of his portal vein was causing the ascites. Portal vein stenting is a minimally invasive procedure<\/a> 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.\u00a0<\/p>\n Joseph was on board. So, Kuban performed the procedure on Nov. 11, 2025.<\/p>\n \u201cI felt almost immediate relief,\u201d says Joseph. \u201cMy appetite improved. It was a phenomenal change, and my recovery since has been remarkable.\u201d<\/p>\n Life after recovery<\/p>\n Joseph credits his recovery to his UT MD Anderson care team \u2013 whom he calls lifesavers \u2013 as well as his support system.<\/p>\n \u201cI never felt isolated<\/a> throughout the entire process; that\u2019s a blessing,\u201d he says. \u201cI also took a lot of pictures and videos, and I wrote a lot in my journal<\/a>. That helped me recover because I was able to see my progress, even if it was small.\u201d<\/p>\n One notable point of progress: he\u2019s back traveling the U.S. playing in major softball tournaments \u2013 the same goal he shared with Katz before his Whipple surgery.<\/p>\n His scans have remained clear, showing no evidence of disease<\/a>. And he recently moved into surveillance at UT MD Anderson.<\/p>\n