Stage IV Gastric Cancer: Derek's Patient Story
This gastric cancer diagnosis at a glance
- Stage at diagnosis
- Stage IV
- Treatment
- clinical trial
Treatment course, step by step
- Started treatment locally after the July 2024 diagnosis.
- Enrolled in a clinical trial at UT MD Anderson after seeking several second opinions.
What happened, in summary
An emergency physician and Pain Medicine Fellow in upstate New York was diagnosed with Stage IV stomach cancer in July 2024. Treatment began locally, but he sought second opinions from several institutions before deciding to enroll in a clinical trial at UT MD Anderson. His account focuses on the practical experience of receiving complex cancer care away from home. Before the clinical trial, pneumonia prompted a same-day pulmonary evaluation to make sure his lungs were healthy enough for the planned intraperitoneal chemotherapy and surgery. He was cleared for treatment. Surgery planned for January 2025 was then delayed when Winter Storm Enzo made travel from New York unsafe. The surgical team asked him to wait until he and his wife, Norma, could travel safely, and they arrived a few days later. He also described strong communication from the clinical-trial team and staff who helped with navigation, appointments and questions throughout his care.
Where this story comes from
This is a lay summary of an account first published by MD Anderson. Read the original in full
How we source and attribute stories Accuracy and limitations
These are lay summaries of published cancer stories, for information only. No two cancers behave the same way, and nothing here predicts your own diagnosis or replaces advice from your oncology team. Read the full disclaimer