Robert Panacci

Diagnosed in October 2019, Robert first sought treatment after experiencing ongoing pain in the middle of his back. He went to see his general practitioner, who conducted an ultrasound that revealed a mass. Recognizing the urgency of Robert’s situation, his GP had him come back to the office within 24 hours and then promptly sent him across the hall to see a surgeon.

The surgeon ordered a CT scan, which identified the presence of a 3.5-centimeter tumor on the head of Robert’s pancreas. The surgeon sent Robert straight to an oncologist who confirmed that, given the size and location of Robert’s tumor, which was near a major artery, his situation “didn’t look good.”

A biopsy confirmed the presence of cancer, with the oncologist recommending that Robert undergo chemotherapy and radiation so that surgery may become possible. If so, the doctor told Robert, he might have another year left.

Undeterred, Robert sought a second opinion at the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, Arizona. There, doctors recommended a similar treatment plan of chemotherapy, radiation and surgery. However, they had a more optimistic outlook than his original team, suggesting that if Robert were able to have surgery, he’d have a “very good chance at survival.”

Encouraged, Robert began chemo using FOLFIRINOX, a combination of cancer drugs often used to treat advanced pancreatic cancer. He went through 12 rounds, spending a full day on drip and then an additional 48 hours with a portable pack. He navigated the first few rounds relatively well, but soon, neuropathy, fatigue, appetite loss and nausea kicked in. He began taking another prescription drug to combat the nausea, but it caused him considerable anxiety and edginess until he found an alternative.

While Robert’s side effects were tough to tolerate, he was lucky in that he had a strong support system lifting him up along the way, including his wife, Stephanie, his four children, Alexandra, Olivia, Allie and Aidan, and his parents and large family in Toronto, Canada.

With his family and loved ones by his side, Robert completed chemo, with his doctors determining that his tumor was shrinking and his CA-19-9 numbers were falling. He then moved on to proton radiation, a precise – and painful – type of radiation therapy that uses protons to target and destroy cancer cells and prevent them from multiplying. After five sessions, his team determined Robert’s tumor had receded far enough away from his artery to move forward with surgery. He ended up having a Whipple procedure June 30, 2020, during the heart of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the surgery proved successful, resulting in the removal of his tumor and a chance at life that his initial doctors didn’t think was possible.

Robert’s successful surgery marked a turning point, not only in his cancer journey but in his outlook. While surviving Stage 3 pancreatic cancer gave him more time to spend with loved ones, it also inspired him to start making a difference for others. Part of what drove him was the reality of the toll cancer takes on Americans, with the projected number of annual cancer deaths weighing heavily on his mind.

About two years after his Whipple surgery, Robert signed on to participate in a walk hosted by the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCan). The organization, like many nonprofits, was seeing a notable decline in donations and volunteers in the wake of the pandemic, so Robert became increasingly involved in its advocacy efforts by stepping into a volunteer role and sharing his story with survivors.

As his comfort level increased, so, too, did his communications, and Robert began sharing his story via LinkedIn and other social media networks, where it caught the attention of the venture capitalist behind CANCER FUND. The initiative backs companies focused on finding and developing cancer solutions, including early detection methods and diagnostic tools. Robert now serves as the Community Engagement leader for CANCER FUND, and he’s also become increasingly ingrained in the cancer community in Arizona, specifically, a place he believes is at the forefront of cancer research today.

“Arizona has a remarkable med and biotech community,” Robert said, noting that his advocacy got him in the door of several local labs and research facilities, where he discovered that a substantial percentage of cancer clinical trials are taking place within state lines. He was also inspired by the number of organizations making progress in developing new diagnostic tools and detection methods, noting that CANCER FUND had no shortage of companies in the pipeline seeking funding for their own research efforts.