Patient Stories

Pedro Duran, a business man and avid cyclist from Monterrey, Mexico, was preparing for a bicycle trip when he noticed some minor pain. He wasn’t concerned, but when the pain lingered for several days, he went to see his doctor. To Duran’s complete surprise, an endoscopy showed cancer in his gall bladder. 

 

He immediately called his friend, Dr. Fernando Urrutia, a gastroenterologist at the Lynda K. and David M. Underwood Center for Digestive Disorders at Houston Methodist Hospital. At Urrutia’s recommendation, Duran flew to Houston a couple of days later to meet with him. Urrutia had Dr. Wade Rosenberg, a highly skilled surgeon who is experienced in disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, waiting with him in his office. Together, they reviewed Duran’s medical records, and the next morning, Rosenberg performed a Whipple procedure to remove all of Duran’s cancer. 

 

The Whipple is one of the most complex and demanding surgeries done today. It is also one of the most successful remedies for aggressive cancers when it is performed by experienced surgeons at advanced medical centers. The surgery was successful and all of the cancer was removed.

 

After requesting opinions from several oncologists, Duran decided to receive his treatment at Houston Methodist Hospital for follow-up chemotherapy designed to prevent further cancers from developing. Duran has now been cancer-free for three years, and he is back to his very active outdoor lifestyle. 

 

“I was weak for a while after surgery, but six months after leaving Houston, my wife and I took a 600 km bicycle trip through France,” Duran said. 

 

“As a cancer survivor, I am living testimony to the expertise, quality and human kindness of Dr. Rosenberg and my entire team at Houston Methodist,” he said. “Together, they save lives. It has been a long journey, and I still have a way to go, but I am not alone!”