Steady progress in treating pancreatic cancer has helped double survival rates in patients

WARMINSTER, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- Pancreatic cancer survival rates have more than doubled in the past decade.

It's not because of a single breakthrough, but better knowledge of the cancer, and more creative use of existing tools.

The advances are benefitting all ages.

Rosalie Swartz was almost 70.

"I had a pain in my lower shoulder," Swartz recalls.

Andre Burke was 38, and thought he had indigestion.

"Oh man, I must have had something to eat that I shouldn't have been eating," Burke recalls.

For both, it was pancreatic cancer.

And five years later, both are cancer-free and active.

Dr. Sanjay Reddy, a surgical oncologist at Fox Chase Cancer Center, says a multi-pronged approach is a key to longer lives.

"So it's not just surgery to take it out, but it's what other adjunct therapies do we have in our tool belt?" he notes.

Unlocking the genetics showed that up to 10% of cases have some family history of pancreatic cancer.

It took the life of Burke's father.

"There's a couple of mutations that are very commonly seen now in pancreatic cancer, and both of these patients had one of these," Dr. Reddy says.

While that can make someone more vulnerable to the cancer, it can actually improve success.

"In those patients, they respond very well to specific chemotherapies," Dr. Reddy says.

He adds, "It really has become a big game changer in pancreatic cancer."

Dr. Reddy and the Fox Chase team often use a chemo "sandwich" - treatment before and after surgery.

Andre said it made sense for his tumor, which was wrapped around a vein.

"We want to shrink it first, and then once we shrink it, we can operate on it and pull it out," he recalls.

And Dr. Reddy's plan was a major reason why he chose Fox Chase over other local cancer centers.

Chemo also eliminates floating cancer cells.

The primary surgery, called a Whipple procedure, is also more refined.

"It's just a little bit of the stomach," he notes, adding, "A little bit of the gall bladder, a little bit of the pancreas - maybe only 10% of your pancreas."

The flexible, individualized therapy is more doable even for older patients.

"I don't think my age ever came up," says Swartz with a smile.

Today, Swartz exercises almost daily, sits on four committees in her community, and enjoys seeing her grandchildren grow.

"If someone were to ask me, I would say I would do it again," she says confidently.

And Burke is still operating intercity passenger trains.

"I was back to full tilt 3 weeks after the surgery," he says happily.