Woman Diagnosed with 'King of Cancers' Finds New Life After Da Vinci Surgery

A 31-year-old woman in Taiwan has successfully overcome a rare and aggressive form of pancreatic cancer, often referred to as the "king of cancers." The patient, identified by the surname Wu, experienced abdominal pain in late 2025, which led to her diagnosis of a rare "solid pseudopapillary tumor" in the head of her pancreas.

The diagnosis came as a shock, leaving her devastated and spending days in tears, especially after researching the typically low survival rates associated with pancreatic cancer. After a week of consideration, she decided to proceed with surgical treatment recommended by her medical team.

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The patient was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, which was a bolt from the blue. She couldn't accept getting cancer at such a young age.

Doctors at the hospital performed a challenging "pylorus-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy" (PPPD), also known as the Whipple procedure, using the advanced da Vinci robotic system. This complex surgery involves removing the head of the pancreas, duodenum, gallbladder, and part of the bile duct, followed by a meticulous reconstruction of the digestive system. The pylorus-preserving technique aims to maintain gastric emptying function and improve post-operative quality of life.

The surgery was a success, with the tumor completely removed and pathology reports indicating an early stage of cancer with no lymph node metastasis. The patient is now recovering well, thanks to the expertise of the multidisciplinary surgical team and the precision offered by the robotic system, which has been used in over 600 cases at the hospital across various specialties.

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The Whipple procedure is called a 'bomb disposal surgery' in the surgical field. It requires not only the removal of the pancreatic head, duodenum, gallbladder, and part of the bile duct but also the reconstruction of the digestive system.