In 2005, Anne Shimabukuro of Potomac, Maryland, a healthy mother of mom, began to feel a sharp pain in her left side after a meal.  At the time she didn’t have a primary care physician, so she made an appointment with her gynecologist.  She didn’t think Anne’s problem was anything gynecological, but had a sonogram machine at her office, so then and there, she conducted a sonogram.  She thought something she on her pancreas might be a cyst on her pancreas or pancreatitis, so the doctor suggested Anne go to a gastroenterologist.

 

With the gastroenterologist, a few more scans were performed, a CT scan and an MRI.  Each time they saw something on Anne’s pancreas.  Finally, the doctor ordered a biopsy.  What became the possibility of a tumor began to concern Anne.  The day after the biopsy, Anne received a call from a nurse at the hospital, who said the doctor would like to see her in person.  Anne and her husband met at the hospital, where Anne was told by the doctor that the biopsy had revealed a malignant tumor, which he called an adenocarcinoma.

 

Just before Christmas 2005, Anne underwent the surgery, and was able to come home on Christmas Day. 

 

Anne had enjoyed excellent health prior to her diagnosis, but the pain in her side, the nausea and the limping drove home the point something was wrong, which made being proactive about addressing the tumor an easy call.  Her decision was made easier by her confidence in the specialist who treated her. 

 

Anne Shimabukuro said the toughest part of her journey was recovering from the surgery, and the post-op abdominal pain.  Once back home, she did a lot of resting and was away from work for a week.  After a few weeks, though, she said began to feel physically normal. 

 

About six weeks after the surgery, Anne began to undergo a chemotherapy regimen that lasted about three months.  Each Friday she had to go in for about an hour.  After that, she began radiation treatment.  It was presented as a choice, but she thought her care team recommended radiation, she should go through with it.  The radiation treatment lasted five weeks.

 

With the chemo, Anne experienced fatigue.  With the radiation, she found the regimen relatively easy.  Each visit to the hospital lasted about one minute.  She suffered a bit of nausea, but it wasn’t too bad.

 

Anne said during her chemotherapy regimen, she was on a medication called gemcitabine, which around 2005 was considered the standard of care.  While she took gemcitabine by itself, Anne says today it is generally part of a cocktail. 

 

Anne thought her treatment was over, but her urologist said Anne should go on a regimen of an oral form of chemotherapy.  She took one pill in the morning and one at night, for about two and a half years.  At that time, the doctor said she should stop taking the pill because they had no data as to the safety of taking this pill for this long.  Meanwhile, she was still going in for periodic CT scans. 

 

Anne Shimabukuro says a big part of her recovery was her successful effort to come as close as she could to her pre-diagnosis life.  That, early detection, and a positive attitude made her journey as smooth as possible.

 

Additional Resources:

 

Support Group: Pancreatic Cancer Action Network https://www.pancan.org