Nick LaLuna, a 68-year-old retiree from Kankakee, Illinois, is celebrating the holidays cancer-free after receiving advanced care and a liver transplant at Northwestern Medicine. His journey began in early 2023 when doctors discovered he had hepatocellular carcinoma during a routine heart check. Initially told his condition was untreatable, LaLuna sought a second opinion at Northwestern Medicine.
“When I first heard the words ‘there’s nothing we can do,’ I thought that was it,” LaLuna said. “But my family encouraged me to get a second opinion, and that decision saved my life.”
Under the care of Dr. Yazan Numan, medical oncologist at the Northwestern Medicine St. George Cancer Institute in Orland Park, LaLuna underwent immunotherapy and targeted Y90 radiation as part of his treatment plan. Dr. Numan described the case as complex due to LaLuna’s damaged liver and a blood clot near his heart.
“Nick’s case was complex,” said Dr. Numan. “He had a scarred, damaged liver and a blood clot extending toward his heart. Many institutions considered him ineligible for treatment, but we developed a strategy using immunotherapy and targeted Y90 radiation as a bridge to transplant. His persistence and commitment were remarkable.”
After two years of treatments, LaLuna became eligible for a liver transplant and received one on June 26, 2025.
“They told me, ‘Can you be here by 7 p.m.?’ We jumped in the car and headed to Northwestern Memorial Hospital,” LaLuna recalled. “By removing the liver, there’s no more cancer. It’s like a miracle.”
Now recovering well, LaLuna continues working with horses at his family’s boarding facility and looks forward to spending time with loved ones this holiday season.
“I’m grateful for every day,” LaLuna said. “Northwestern Medicine gave me a second chance, and I want people to know — never give up and always seek a second opinion.”
Dr. Numan emphasized the significance of advanced cancer care options: “Nick’s story is a testament to the power of advanced cancer care and the importance of perseverance,” Dr. Numan said. “Not every patient with liver cancer and extensive damage qualifies for transplant, but with the right approach, outcomes like this are possible.”
LaLuna received most of his care within 45 minutes from home at Northwestern Medicine Palos Hospital and Northwestern Medicine St. George Cancer Institute in Orland Park. The center provides hematology and oncology services along with laboratory support, nutritional counseling, social work assistance, an infusion suite for chemotherapy or immunotherapy treatments on site, access to specialty pharmacy services for supportive therapies—and opportunities to participate in clinical trials before new treatments become widely available.
For more information about the Northwestern Medicine St. George Cancer Institute visit nm.org.
