Two surgeons at Dallas-based Methodist Health System cleared a 92-year-old woman for pancreatic cancer surgery, despite the surgery's higher risk for her age group, according to ABC 8.
Alejandro Mejia, MD, director of organ transplantation at Dallas-based Methodist Health System, met with 92-year-old patient Joe Anna Logan in September. Surgery is the only chance to save a patient diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
"That is the single treatment that makes a difference in your survival," Dr. Mejia told ABC 8.
In the initial appointment, Ms. Logan did not ask if surgery could be performed, but asked when it could be done.
Dr. Mejia consulted with Richard Dickerman, MD, senior surgeon and surgical director of the kidney and pancreas transplant program at Methodist, to collaborate on Ms. Logan's surgery.
"It was basically because she was in such good shape that we thought she could tolerate such a big operation like this," Dr. Dickerman told ABC 8. Though Ms. Logan's biological age is 92, physiologically her age is younger.
Dr. Mejia and Dr. Dickerman performed Ms. Logan's surgery in three hours. Ms. Logan survived the surgery and beat pancreatic cancer at 92 years old.
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