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14 years after terminal cancer diagnosis, survivor finds hope in new UCLA cutting
ABC7 Los Angeles • • health
Key Points:
- Retired medical school professor Federico Kalinec was diagnosed with a rare pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor (PNET) in 2012 and given only months to live, but has survived 14 years after surgery and advanced treatment.
- Kalinec underwent removal of his pancreas and part of his stomach at UCLA, which controlled the cancer for years before it returned in 2020.
- He received peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT), an FDA-approved treatment that uses radioactive atoms to target and kill tumor cells from within, successfully managing his cancer.
- Kalinec is now partnering with the Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research to raise awareness and funds, participating in the LA Cancer Challenge 5K to support the PNET Pathway Grant Program.
- Experts highlight that pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors are underfunded, and new initiatives like the Hirshberg Foundation's grant program are crucial for advancing targeted therapies.
