125: Hans Rueffert survived gastric stomach cancer | acid reflux | gastrectomy | jejunum | peristalsis
Release Date: 08/17/2024
143: Rick Upchurch survived chronic myelogenous leukemia | oral chemotherapy | blood cancer | tasigna | nilotinib
Cancer Interviews
Former NFL star Rick Upchurch seemed to be in good health, but in 2010, he began to experience night sweats, fatigue and aches and pains. He saw his doctor, who ordered blood work. The test results revealed his white blood cell count was very high, and his general practitioner gave him the address of another doctor to see. Rick and his wife were shocked to learn the doctor they had been told to see was an oncologist. That doctor called for a bone marrow biopsy, which confirmed Rick had chronic myelogenous leukemia, a rare form of blood cancer that is tied to a genetic...
info_outline
142: Jeff Kallis survived renal cell carcinoma | kidney cancer | right kidney nephrectomy | diverticulosis | ct urogram
Cancer Interviews
Jeff Kallis survived renal cell carcinoma, a form of kidney cancer. When he experienced pain in his lower flank and saw blood in his urine, he sought medical attention. A CT urogram revealed a stone in his left kidney and a mass in his right kidney. A biopsy confirmed he had clear cell renal cell carcinoma. Jeff underwent a radical nephrectomy on his right kidney. The operation was painful, but a success. Through exercise and a healthy diet, Jeff says he feels better than he did before his diagnosis. He shares his story with the @CancerInterviews...
info_outline
141: John Morley survived T2 Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer | cystectomy | prostatectomy | splenectomy
Cancer Interviews
What John Morley originally thought was a urinary tract infection turned out to be a diagnosis of bladder cancer. At first, he was told it was a mild form of the disease. Then the diagnosis was upgraded to T2 Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer, requiring a radical cystectomy meaning he would need to get his bladder removed. His care team next told John he would also have to get his prostate taken out. Next a mass was detected on his spleen, which meant that it, too, would have to be removed. Treatment and recovery were tough, but he now urinates into a bag known as an...
info_outline
140: Jessica Wharton survived breast cancer | chemotherapy | taxol | super radiation | red devil | ptsd
Cancer Interviews
When Jessica Whorton discovered lumps on her left breast in 2011, she sought medical attention. The doctors she spoke with said breast cancer was not indicated. She walked around with the lumps for another nine months before seeking a second opinion. Tests revealed she had Stage 3A invasive ductal carcinoma. Doctors urged that she get a double mastectomy even though her right breast was still healthy. After chemotherapy and radiation, Jessica achieved survivorship in 2013. Jessica thought there was something wrong when she detected three lumps...
info_outline
139: Susan Svoboda survived hormone positive breast cancer | estrogen inhibitor | invasive ductal carcinoma | lumpectomy
Cancer Interviews
Susan Svoboda was accustomed to going in for her mammogram every November. She enjoyed a healthy lifestyle, which included running 65 half marathons. But in late 2021, after her mammogram, she was called to return to the doctor’s office. After scans and a biopsy, she was diagnosed with Stage 1-2 invasive ductal carcinoma. Given her healthy routine, Susan was shocked, but she quickly had to turn her attention to her treatment. In 2022, she underwent a successful lumpectomy. Because of the location of the lump, and her low Oncotype DX score, the oncologist...
info_outline
138: Albertina Dancy survived liver cancer | fatty liver disease | radiation treatment | chemotherapy
Cancer Interviews
In 2021, Albertina Dancy began to experience abdominal pain, but that wasn’t all. She also had gastrointestinal issues, jaundice and other problems. However, she didn’t take them seriously and thought they could be successfully addressed with over-the-counter remedies. When that didn’t happen, she sought medical attention. Albertina’s doctor said the symptoms, combined with her existing fatty liver disease, merited a trip to an oncologist. A series of scans and tests, plus the stiffness of her liver, led to a diagnosis of liver cancer. The...
info_outline
137: Karen Humphries twice survived cholangiocarcinoma | bile duct cancer | liver resection | xeloda | chemotherapy
Cancer Interviews
After a long list of health issues, Karen Humphries was diagnosed with a rare type of bile duct cancer called cholangiocarcinoma. She was initially diagnosed in 2021 with Stage 2B gallbladder cancer, had her gallbladder removed, after which the diagnosis was changed to Stage 4 cholangiocarcinoma. Karen underwent a two-part liver resection and a chemotherapy regimen and went into remission. Two years later, she was again diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma. Her treatment included biliary stents. Karen knows her cancer is incurable but has survived and leads a happy...
info_outline
136: Erin Cummings survived Stage 3B Hodgkin lymphoma | full body radiation | MOP chemotherapy | laetrile
Cancer Interviews
Erin Cummings is still going strong despite being diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma in 1972. At age 15, she noticed a lump on her throat and another on her chest. That led to a diagnosis of Stage 3B Hodgkin lymphoma. She was shocked at her diagnosis but initially had trouble putting into perspective just what she was up against because she cancer was something suffered by old people. Even though she achieved survivorship, she still deals with residual side effects from her treatment regimen. Nonetheless, Erin has gone on to compete in eight marathons and has...
info_outline
135: Genetic testing helped Art Still to survive amyloidosis | stenosis | atrial fibrillation
Cancer Interviews
Art Still’s body felt the ravages of playing professional football for twelve years, but when he suffered atrial fibrillation, he sought medical attention. His doctor suggested he undergo a genetic test, which revealed he had the variant for a disease known as amyloidosis. While not cancer, if left untreated in a timely manner, it can lead to various types of blood cancer. Early detection, periodic shots and medication will not get rid of the variant, but they will team up to keep from developing into blood cancer. Art pays attention to diet, exercise and the right...
info_outline
134: Diana Ash survived Stage 1C Ovarian Cancer | oophorectomy | BEP chemotherapy | Lupron injection
Cancer Interviews
Diana Ash had suffered from irritable bowel syndrome much of her life, but in 2019, she believed the IBS symptoms she felt were something altogether different. Her concerns were proven correct when an ultrasound indicated a mass near her abdomen the size of a “mini football.” Not long after that, she was diagnosed with Stage 1C Ovarian Cancer. Diana underwent an oophorectomy, a surgical procedure that successfully removed one ovary and one fallopian tube. After the surgery, she had to undergo BEP chemotherapy, an extremely aggressive regimen. However, she...
info_outlineIn this Cancer Interviews podcast, Hans Rueffert shares the story of how he survived Stage 3B gastric stomach cancer despite double digit surgeries that resulted in the removal of his stomach, jejenum and esophagus. Following the surgeries, he had to go on a regimen of chemotherapy and radiation. Hans, a chef by trade, achieved survivorship, but without a stomach, closely monitors what he eats and how much he eats. Incredibly, Hans Rueffert says he has as much energy as he had, pre-diagnosis, and is an active participant in pickle ball.
Hans Rueffert is a chef from Jasper, Georgia, and says in the restaurant business, stress comes with the territory. So, in 2005, when he experienced acid reflux, blood in his stool, and had trouble swallowing, he dismissed them as occupational hazards. But when he experienced what he thought was a heart attack, he called 911. He had severe chest pains and the left side of his body was numb. Soon he was in the hospital, where he was told his blood oxygen level was that of an infant, and doctors suspected internal bleeding. Further probing revealed a tumor at the junction of Hans’ stomach and esophagus. Subsequent biopsies resulted in a diagnosis of Stage 3B gastric stomach cancer.
As if his diagnosis wasn’t bad enough, Hans was told the five-year survival rate for his type of cancer was around ten percent. He says in 2005, the protocol was to perform surgery, followed by chemotherapy and radiation. The procedure would involve a partial gastrectomy and a partial esopagectomy, the removal of the top half of the stomach and the bottom of the esophagus. The procedure is also known as a gastric pullup.
The surgery was a success. Next up was the chemotherapy, which Hans said “cooked” the junction of the stomach and esophagus, known as the anastomosis. As a result of the chemo and subsequent radiation, Hans developed leaks in the anastomosis necessitating an additional dozen surgeries. Doctors concluded that to stop these leaks, they would have to perform yet another surgery, in which all of Hans’ remaining stomach and esophagus would have to be removed.
Without a stomach and an esophagus, Hans says he can chew and swallow almost anything, but without a stomach, the process of breaking down food becomes more difficult. As a result, he has to closely monitor what he eats and how much because there is less room to store what he has consumed.
Hans Rueffert is able to maintain a healthy diet and incredibly, he says his energy level has returned to what it was prior to his diagnosis. He has taken up pickle ball.
Additional Resources:
Support Group:
The Gastric Cancer Foundation: https://www.gastriccancer.org