PORTRAIT
Ryan
Ryan and Brooke: The Power of Looking Beyond The First Answer
diagnosis
country
USA
age at diagnosis
36
diagnosed in
March 2021
Cancer center
University of Iowa Health Care
THEMES
Iowa City, Iowa, United States: The day before a 15-hour family road trip, 36 year-old Ryan Dwars thought he was dealing with indigestion. As a school teacher, youth baseball coach, husband and father of two young children, Ryan had always led an active life. His first symptom seemed minor: a persistent backache that wrapped around his side and into his chest. Like many people, he assumed it was indigestion and tried to push through it.
"You don't look good," his wife Brooke told him, and insisted he go to the emergency room. It was the first of many moments when Brooke would help push the journey forward.
An Unexpected Diagnosis
A blood test revealed signs of abnormal clotting, prompting a CT scan that uncovered widespread blood clots and a mass in the tail of Ryan's pancreas. Within hours, he was facing a diagnosis he never expected: Stage 2 pancreatic cancer, that will unfortunately quickly turn into stage 4.
Because of his young age, doctors immediately ordered genetic testing and molecular profiling. The results identified a BRCA2 mutation, a finding that would later open the door to targeted treatment options.
”You have to be your own advocate. You know yourself best.”
“Leave no stone unturned.”
Staying Connected to Everyday Life
Ryan underwent chemotherapy, surgery and additional treatment while doing his best to stay connected to the life he loved. He continued teaching, coaching youth baseball and showing up for his family.
Throughout the process, Ryan worked closely with an integrative oncology team, combining medical treatment with supportive approaches that helped him manage side effects. Together, Ryan and Brooke learned to navigate an increasingly complex medical landscape, balancing treatment decisions with family life.
After treatment, Ryan entered remission and returned to regular monitoring. For a time, life began to regain a sense of normalcy.
When the Cancer Returned
After an initial remission, the cancer returned, first to his liver and later to nearby lymph nodes. With this recurrence and the spread to his liver, Ryan’s diagnosis advanced from Stage 2 to Stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Some treatments brought encouraging results, while others led them back to difficult decisions about what to try next. Ryan moved through multiple lines of chemotherapy, radiation, targeted therapies and clinical trials. As treatment plans evolved, Brooke became a tireless researcher and advocate, helping identify new opportunities whenever the path forward seemed uncertain.
Leave No Stone Unturned
Together, Ryan and Brooke adopted a simple philosophy:
“Leave no stone unturned.”
That mindset became especially important when a promising clinical trial initially seemed out of reach. Brooke refused to take no for an answer. She continued asking questions, exploring alternatives, and advocating for Ryan until a path forward emerged.
A New Opportunity
Following a high-dose clinical trial, Ryan's cancer underwent a rare genetic change that transformed it from microsatellite stable to microsatellite instable. While unusual, the shift created a new opportunity: immunotherapy. Ryan's medical team quickly adapted his treatment plan.
For the first time, Ryan and Brooke began to see signs that the cancer was under control. Within months, Ryan’s cancer markers dropped dramatically. Follow-up scans eventually showed no evidence of disease.
Life Today
Today, Ryan is among the small group of people who have lived far longer than expected with stage 4 pancreatic cancer.
Over five years after his diagnosis, Ryan can once again be found where he loves to be: in the classroom, on the baseball field and with his family. He also shares his experience with other patients, helping them navigate their own journeys and reminding them that life can continue alongside a diagnosis.
Looking beyond the first answer became a defining part of their journey. Together, Ryan and Brooke continue to move forward, carrying with them the mindset that helped guide every step along the way.
