At 78, She Beats Recurrence of Pancreatic Cancer After MRI-Guided Radiation Therapy at Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute

When Connie Harrington, now 78, received a diagnosis of advanced pancreatic cancer in December 2021 in her home state of Arizona, she was faced with a life-altering reality. Diagnosed with one of the most aggressive forms of cancer, her tumor was deemed inoperable.

But through the unwavering support of her family, her faith, and the advanced expertise of Michael Chuong, M.D., the lead physician for the MRI-guided radiation program at Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute, she embarked on a three-year medical journey that would defy expectations – including fully recovering from a recurrence of the cancer that was spotted during follow-up testing about 18 months ago.

After being referred in 2022 by her Mayo Clinic oncologist in Phoenix, Ms. Harrington drove with her husband to Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute and successfully received ablative radiation therapy over 5 sessions with the ViewRay™ MRIdian MR Linac Therapy, which is the first U.S.-cleared MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)-guided radiation therapy system. In the fall of 2022, she had no evidence of active cancer based on PET (positron emission tomography) CT scans that she had every three months.

About a year-and-a-half later, a PET CT scan would detect isolated recurrence of her cancer – a smaller tumor in an area adjacent to where she received her initial MRI-guided radiation therapy.

(Watch video. Hear from cancer patient Connie Harrington and Michael Chuong, M.D., FACRO, the lead physician for the MRI-guided radiation program and the medical director for Miami Cancer Institute’s Department of Radiation Oncology. Video by Alcyene de Almeida Rodrigues.)

“When I first found out that my cancer had returned, I was truly stunned,” she recalls. “The reason I was so surprised was that I had been cancer-free for about 18 months. It felt like I had been healed, and to hear that it had come back was devastating.”

After it was determined that the recurrence was not operable, a second session of MRI-guided radiation therapy under the direction of Dr. Chuong at Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute would again prove successful, with another swift recovery. The MRIdian Linac has been available at the Institute for several years, providing the most precise radiation treatment for hundreds of cancer patients who undergo faster and smoother recoveries compared to traditional therapies.

Unlike conventional treatment, MRI-guided radiation provides real-time visualization of the tumor and extremely precise treatment despite the very high doses of radiation – with little to no side effects for most patients. While delivering multiple courses of radiation in the same area is high risk and many times is not even offered as a result, the MRIdian Linac can facilitate safe and effective retreatment, explains Dr. Chuong, who is the medical director for Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute’s Department of Radiation Oncology.  

“I had a conversation with Connie about giving her more radiation to an recurrent tumor that was near where we initially treated, which is considered to be high risk because of the high cumulative radiation dose that would be given to that area, especially to the nearby intestine,” he said. “While many radiation oncologists rarely -- if ever -- offer re-treatment, I thought that we could not only safely retreat her, but also deliver enough radiation to eradicate the new tumor by leveraging the advanced abilities of the MRIdian Linac. I wanted to give her the best chance of having a long-term, successful outcome, and suggested we think outside of the box by re-treating her with a high dose.”

Ms. Harrington credits Dr. Chuong’s team and her a faith-based positive attitude for getting her through her cancer journey.

“When I had the notification that my cancer had returned, I knew I was blessed because of doing the PET-CT scans every three months and having it show up on one of those tests,” she explains. “I had a very small tumor. It was next to the pancreas and it was a much less challenging … my result was the same. It was incredible. I felt wonderful.”

The Initial Diagnosis and First Treatment

Ms. Harrington’s journey with pancreatic cancer began with an alarming set of test results. On her birthday in December 2021, Connie learned that her CA-19 level — a tumor marker in the blood — was an overwhelming 295, well above the normal threshold of 37. A CT scan revealed a tumor that had grown into the mesentery – connective tissue that attaches the intestines to the posterior abdominal wall --  and wrapped around a vital artery, rendering it inoperable.

Her initial treatment plan included an aggressive chemotherapy regimen at the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, which she received once a week for three weeks every month for six months. While the chemotherapy shrank the tumor, it wasn’t enough to make surgery possible, due to the tumor’s proximity to critical arteries and its potential for causing life-threatening damage.

However, a breakthrough came when her oncologist suggested an innovative treatment option: MRI-guided radiation. “My Mayo doctor told me that my best (and only) hope for survival was MRI-guided radiation,” Connie explained. “He said there were only two places in the U.S. where I could get it — and the best place was the Miami Cancer Institute.”

At that moment, she was introduced to Dr. Chuong who would guide her through this next stage of treatment. MRI-guided radiation uses MRI imaging to precisely target tumors with radiation, minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue and increasing the chances of success. The results of Connie’s first round of MRI-guided radiation were very effective.

“I had no pain, no discomfort, and I felt terrific after the treatments,” Connie shared. “The only side effect was a little fatigue, which is typical for radiation, but otherwise, I felt wonderful.” This treatment helped Connie achieve a remarkable outcome: for over 18 months, her cancer remained undetectable, and her CA-19 levels normalized, bringing her a sense of peace and renewal.

The Unexpected Return of Cancer

However, as with many cancer patients, Ms. Harrington’s victory was not permanent. In January 2024, just three months after her last PET scan, Connie’s life took an unexpected turn when her CA-19 levels rose again. The blood tests showed an abnormal reading of 47, and a subsequent PET scan revealed a small lesion near the area where her original tumor had been treated.

“We treated her -- not just with a second round of radiation -- but a very high dose of radiation that essentially was the same as the first time she was treated to give her the best chance of eradicating the new tumor,” explains Dr. Chuong. “This approach was very different than what is normally done in this situation, which would be giving a low palliative dose to avoid causing toxicity, but also knowing that future tumor growth likely would happen. Our institution has been at the forefront of demonstrating that MRI-guided radiation therapy can be applied in the retreatment setting, potentially with a curative outcome.”

For many patients, the return of pancreatic cancer can feel like an insurmountable setback. But Connie’s response was far from despair. Rather than giving in to fear, she found herself filled with gratitude for the time she had spent cancer-free.

“It was really incredible. I was filled with gratitude because I had been blessed with the gift of life I had had over 18 months, cancer-free, feeling great, and being able to share my life with my family and friends,” she says. “The next emotion I felt was faith. I knew that I had gotten through it once, and I knew Dr. Chuong would be able to help me again.”

Ms. Harrington says that the recurrence of her cancer didn’t shatter her hope; it strengthened it. As she reflected on the journey that had brought her to this point, she remembered the words of her family doctor, who had told her, “Never give up hope. It is the key to healing.”

A New Treatment and a New Hope

Connie’s resilience and faith were reinforced by the fact that her cancer was caught early. The lesion detected in her PET scan was small, and it was located in a more manageable area than the original tumor. Thanks to the routine PET scans every three months, the recurrence was discovered quickly, giving Dr. Chuong the opportunity to treat it with precision once again.

“Because we had detected it early, my tumor was much smaller this time,” she explained. “It was next to the pancreas and much less challenging for Dr. Chuong, which I’m sure he was happy about. But the result was the same as before: it was incredible. I felt wonderful.”

The second round of MRI-guided radiation brought the same successful results as the first. During her treatment, Connie again experienced no pain or discomfort. “I had no abdominal distress, no pain, and no discomfort of any kind,” she said. “It was absolutely amazing.”

“Connie's case definitely has contributed to our understanding of how advanced technologies like the MRIdian Linac can greatly enhance and improve patient outcomes,” said Dr. Chuong. “It's especially in this population of patients who need additional radiation after having prior radiation in the same area. We are the first institution to develop clinical trials exploring re-treatment with high ablative doses with the hypothesis being that we can potentially cure patients who otherwise would only be offered palliative options.”

Faith, Hope, and the Power of Advanced Treatment

Connie’s story is a powerful reminder of the unpredictable nature of cancer, especially with a diagnosis as aggressive as pancreatic cancer. But it’s also a testament to the role that advanced medical treatments and regular monitoring play in providing patients with another shot at life.

The impact of Ms. Harrington’s recovery – which was first publicized in the Resource Blog in June 2023 -- has been profound, said Dr. Chuong.

“I hear from patients all the time who saw Connie's story, who otherwise did not know about radiation therapy as an option in general -- let alone this amazing technology,” he said. “We see and hear from patients nationally and internationally seeking an opinion about whether they'd be a good candidate for this type of treatment. I can't understate the profound impact that Connie’s story has had on other patients who we have treated. This is the type of treatment that potentially could be curative many times when patients are otherwise told that there is no treatment option.”

Ms. Harrington said she found Dr. Chuong and his team’s “level of expertise to be unmatched.” She adds: “And I trusted them. And that's the key. When you go someplace to have major treatment, you need to feel confidence in their knowledge and trust in their experience. And I felt that overwhelmingly with Dr. Chuong. He's also just a great guy.”

She adds that being a cancer survivor has enabled her to spend much of her time during retirement on the things she most enjoys.  Her quality of life has been excellent especially since she has not needed chemotherapy after she was initially treated several years ago at the Miami Cancer Institute in 2022.