Vashon Island woman facing deadly cancer refuses to give up hope

Ruth and Jim Miller had been looking forward to a retirement filled with travel and family, with time to spare for antiquing and civic and political involvement, when one of the deadliest of cancers caught them by surprise.

The Vashon couple was four-wheeling in Mexico at the time. Ruth felt a pain in her gut that she blamed on the bouncy terrain, but it didn't go away. Back at their summer home in Canada and desperate to feel better in time for her granddaughter's wedding, she called her doctor.

"He said, 'That sounds like the pancreas. You need to come down right away." Later, she and Jim got the news that hijacked their lives: stage 3 pancreatic cancer. Surgery wasn't an option. Ruth could expect to live another three to nine months.

Cancer of the pancreas has been in the spotlight recently with the diagnosis of actor Patrick Swayze and the death of Carnegie Mellon University Professor Randy Pausch, whose "last lecture" became an Internet sensation and book.

When cancer occurs in the pancreas - the pear-shaped organ behind the stomach that aids in digestion - it spreads quickly and is seldom detected in its early stages. Of the 37,700 Americans diagnosed annually, about 85 percent have cancer that is too advanced for surgery and die within the year. Of the remaining 15 percent who are able to have surgery, only one in four are alive in five years, and most eventually succumb to the disease.

Risk factors include age (most people are diagnosed after 65), cigarette smoking, diabetes, hereditary pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), and excess weight.

Ruth, 69, had no strikes against her but her age. She and Jim had always been healthy and active. They maintained a big garden on Orcas Island, where they used to live and work, managing the estate of World's Fair contractor and Space Needle builder Howard S. Wright.

After her diagnosis, Ruth immediately combed the Internet for the case histories of those who have survived.

The Millers had heard about a doctor who was successfully treating pancreatic cancer patients at a Seattle clinic that integrates oncology with complimentary therapies, including nutritional support, vitamins and supplements, Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture and mind-body therapy.

"I was into health food; I thought this is something to pursue," she said.

In a 90-minute consultation at Seattle Cancer Treatment and Wellness Center, Ruth and her family heard something different. They heard hope. Doctors didn't promise a cure, but they were at least willing to try.

She has since been through a gamut of treatments, starting with chemo-radiation, which targets the cancer with both radiation and chemotherapy.

"It was a very tough treatment, but thanks to a strong nutritional program and acupuncture treatments, she got through it relatively well," said oncologist Dr. Nick Chen, who works hand-in-hand with naturopathic physician Heidi Lucas and acupuncturist Darin Bunch.

Following chemo-radiation, Ruth underwent prolonged low-dose chemotherapy that put her into a long-lasting remission, Chen said. When her cancer eventually progressed to the liver, she was put on several different combinations of chemotherapy drugs and has responded surprisingly well, he said.

"I have to think that she also has benefited from complementary medicines," Chen said, citing promising research on curcumin, a compound in the spice turmeric that may increase the effectiveness of the commonly used chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer.

More than three years after starting treatment at the center, scans show no signs of Ruth's tumor.

"I am just happy that we were able to provide the best comprehensive care for her and achieved tremendous results," Chen said.

This summer, Ruth felt well enough to make several trips to the couple's summer home in Canada and attend a big family reunion in California.

"I don't think I would be here if I hadn't found this place," says Ruth, who has also benefited from the support of her close family and circle of friends. "People should never give up hope."

Ruth's husband, Jim, said that first diagnosis in 2005 felt like the end of the world. "I couldn't even drive the car home," he said.

"Now I just want everybody to know how well she's doing. She's back in the kitchen, jumping off the dock, swimming... We almost have a normal life now. Who would have thought?"


 
 
 

Seattle Cancer Treatment and Wellness Center is an affiliate of Cancer Treatment Centers of America, a network of hospitals that integrate oncology with complementary and natural therapies. For more information and cancer-fighting tips, call (206) FOR HOPE (367-4673) or visit www.seattlecancerwellness.com.

Pam McGaffin of Moore Ink. PR, writes articles about important health, family and community issues for non-profit organizations.