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Terry McCoy
Written By: Julia Brabant, March, 2026Eight Years After a Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer Diagnosis, Terry McCoy Shows No Evidence of Disease
Diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2018 and told he had six months to live without treatment and up to 18 months with it, Terry McCoy continues to share his story eight years later, proving that
even a Stage 4 diagnosis doesn’t always follow the script.
I give primary credit to God. There were hundreds of people praying for me.
Terry was fortunate in that doctors uncovered his cancer essentially by chance, when he started taking oxycodone for pain in the aftermath of a knee replacement procedure. The medication caused severe constipation, and that, combined with intense pain and sweating, prompted Terry to seek treatment at the local emergency room.
The ER doctor, suspecting something serious, sent Terry to an oncologist’s office, where tests revealed a tumor on his pancreas and eight more on his liver. Initially diagnosed locally, Terry, a veteran of, and former photographer for the U.S. Air Force, soon transferred his treatment to a VA hospital, where doctors conducted an MRI and CT guided needle biopsy to confirm cancer.
Things moved quickly after the confirmation, with Terry having a port installed the following week and starting chemotherapy with FOLFIRINOX soon after. While he braced for the worst, Terry tolerated treatment better than expected, and after three cycles and the next CT scan, his care team failed to find any remaining tumors. He completed 32 cycles of Chemo in order to eliminate any chance of the tumors coming back. Terry then fell into a rhythm of regular scans and check-ins, starting with visits every three months, then stretching to six, and eventually nine as time went on.
While Terry’s chemotherapy treatments played a big part in his positive outcome, Terry also attributes his success to his good physical condition and healthy eating habits. He also maintained a strong sense of optimism amid his diagnosis, treatment and recovery, and found that his faith, too, was a big factor.
“I give primary credit to God,” Terry said. “There were hundreds of people praying for me.”
When I had the CT scan that showed no tumors, I brought in a cake. Nurses see so many times when there’s no recovery – when there’s a victory, they should be able to celebrate that, too.
He also found that his faith has only strengthened since his diagnosis.
“It’s certainly confirmed my faith, and my faith in the power of prayer,” said Terry. “Even when I was diagnosed, I was not afraid of the possibility of dying for myself. My wife had lost her first husband before she was 50 and had been through that once. My first though was, ‘How hard would this be on her if it happened again?”
It’s a perspective that continues to shape how he shows up for others today, with Terry now devoting time to speaking with others facing the same diagnosis, taking calls and offering guidance and positivity to dozens of patients.
“Through these conversations, I give them hope and really encourage them to be a warrior, rather than a victim,” Terry said.
Terry also made a point to try to lift the spirits of other patients and hospital staff amid chemo treatments and would always bring donuts to share during his treatments – a fact that continues to earn hugs from the Oncology team on every follow up visit.
“When I had the CT scan that showed no tumors, I brought in a cake,” Terry said. “Nurses see so many times when there’s no recovery – when there’s a victory, they should be able to celebrate that, too.”
About 7.5 years ago, when I was diagnosed, the five-year survival rate was about 4%. Now, it’s about 13%. That’s reason to hope. Five years from now, who knows where we’ll be?
He also encourages patients to stay informed, but warns them against believing everything they read.
“Be careful when you search the internet,” Terry cautioned. “There’s big information out there, but there’s also a lot of bad info that works on promoting your fear. Be careful WHERE you do your research, too, and make sure it’s legitimate.”
Terry feels encouraged by what he sees as a growing willingness among doctors to pursue more aggressive treatment options when patients advocate for themselves.
“I think, if a patient is a self-advocate and pushing for aggressive treatment, the oncologists are willing to do more. It really pays to be your own advocate and push your care team.”
And while Terry’s treatment experience was, overall, successful, it wasn’t without strife or lasting side effects.
“I didn’t come out of this Scott-free,” Terry said. “I have neuropathy, Type 2 diabetes – I also had bad migraines during chemo.”
Terry also lost two-thirds of his pancreas due to atrophy, rather than surgery, and has to take CREON to aid his digestion since his pancreas no longer fully functions. He also received a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis about six months before learning he had cancer, something he now thinks might have been a warning sign.
Terry also shares his story with the hope of pushing back against the long-standing belief that pancreatic cancer always leads to the same outcome.
“About 7.5 years ago, when I was diagnosed, the five-year survival rate was about 4%. Now, it’s about 13%,” Terry said. “That’s reason to hope. Five years from now, who knows where we’ll be?”
As of April, 2026, Terry continues to live cancer-free while keeping a close eye on his condition.
