Pancreatic cancer survivor finds hope in cancer research

Helene Andrews-Polymenis finds hope in cancer research.

Like many cancer survivors, she often feels some anxiety when she thinks about the future. Her diagnosis, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, is difficult to treat, and while Helene currently shows no evidence of disease, she worries about the possibility of another recurrence.

But she finds peace in the idea that right now scientists, physicians and other researchers are working together to develop new treatments – ones that could even double her life expectancy.

“We’re at such a watershed moment,” she says. “It’s really kind of amazing what could happen.”

Preventing pancreatic cancer recurrence with PARP inhibitors

Recent treatment advances have given Helene more than four years since she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

“I wouldn’t be alive today if it wasn’t for PARP inhibitors,” she says.

PARP inhibitors are a type of targeted therapy commonly used to treat breast and ovarian cancers. But in some cases, like Helene’s, they’re used to treat pancreatic cancer, too. They work by blocking DNA repair, killing cancer cells, and keeping the cancer from spreading. They’re known to treat cancers caused by the BRCA 1 and 2 genetic mutation, but scientists have found that they could also have some potential in treating cancers impacted by another mutation: RAD51D. Genetic testing showed that Helene had this specific mutation, and she began PARP inhibitors to help keep her cancer from recurring in April 2022.

“I’m hopeful because two years ago there were only a handful of PARP inhibitors,” she says. “Now there are others in development, plus other drugs, vaccines and new clinical trials that could benefit pancreatic cancer patients.”

Undergoing pancreatic cancer treatment

Helene’s career and background have given her a deeper understanding of her treatment and the research that helped develop it. A microbiologist and veterinarian by training, she researches infectious diseases at the intersection of animal, human and public health.

“Being a scientist is kind of a double-edged sword,” she says. “Sometimes, it’s hard to know a lot, but it gives me tools to help better understand my own disease, and I’m not afraid to ask my doctors and others in the field questions.” 

Helene was first diagnosed in May 2019. She had been experiencing abdominal pain and fatigue, when routine blood work showed that something was off. Her hometown doctors thought it might be a gallbladder problem, and Helene began to prepare for surgery to have her gallbladder removed. But when a pre-surgery ultrasound showed a mass, Helene knew something else was wrong. She needed a CT scan that day. It revealed a 4 cm mass. While no one used the word “cancer,” Helene knew there was little else it could be.

After starting chemotherapy, Helene came to MD Anderson, about 90 minutes from her home in College Station, to discuss a complex surgery called a Whipple procedure with Matthew Katz M.D.

After successful chemotherapy, Helene underwent five weeks of radiation therapy at MD Anderson. At that point, she was ready for a Whipple procedure. During this long and complex surgery used to treat pancreatic cancer in some patients, the pancreas, distal bile duct, gallbladder regional lymph nodes and the duodenum — a part of the small intestine that connects to the stomach — are removed.

But when Helene woke up from her procedure after just a few hours, she knew something was wrong. Katz explained that early in the surgery, he spotted a metastasis on Helene’s liver that wasn’t detected by prior scans. It made it impossible to perform the Whipple successfully. She and Katz shared their complete and utter disappointment. But they agreed on a path forward: more chemotherapy with the potential to try the Whipple procedure again.

From April to October, Helene underwent more chemotherapy. The cancer responded well, and she was able to undergo a successful Whipple procedure in November. She spent a few days in the hospital and was grateful for the care and comfort she received from her care team, including advance practice registered nurse Morgan Bruno, advance practice provider Justin Folloder and Katz before recovering at home. With the Whipple behind her, she resumed chemotherapy, with routine scans every three months.

Helene was able to take a few months off from treatment, but in August 2021, her scans showed a liver metastasis. This time, she had a biopsy followed by stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), and additional chemotherapy. Genetic testing revealed a mutation in a gene called Rad51D, which made Helene  a strong candidate for PARP inhibitor treatment. She started this treatment in April 2022, and continues it today.

The future of pancreatic cancer treatment

Helene isn’t sure what the future holds. She knows the cancer could come back again someday, and she’s counting on researchers to develop new treatments to help her live a longer, healthier life. She finds comfort in knowing that MD Anderson is a leader in cancer research.

As a researcher and a patient, Helene has connected with several MD Anderson researchers through social media, including Anirban Maitra, M.B.B.S.; Shubham Pant, M.D., M.B.B.S.; and David Hong, M.D. These friendships and contacts have given her unique insights into the research community at MD Anderson. She knows that at MD Anderson clinicians work hand-in-hand with scientists to seamlessly bring new treatments from the lab straight to the clinic and back to the lab for more improvements.

In the past year, more than 9,000 patients were enrolled in over 1,500 clinical trials, and MD Anderson contributed to the development of nearly 60% of cancer drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last year.  

“The great thing about MD Anderson is it’s a site for so much research and so many cutting-edge trials,” she says. “I feel really fortunate to be close to that.”

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