Remembering Late Sopranos Actor ‘Bobby Bacala’– Robert LuPone, Bravely Fought Pancreatic Cancer, The Cast Reunites For 25th Anniversary

An Reminder to Take Charge of Your Health

• The “The Sopranos” made its debut 25 years ago, we can’t help but remember how actor Robert LuPone, who acted as Tony Soprano’s neighbor Dr. Bruce Cusamano, passed away two years ago in under hospice care following his brave fight with pancreatic cancer.
• It’s unclear what type of treatment LuPone underwent. But it’s important to understand that pancreatic cancer is a type of cancer that forms in the pancreas. It can be challenging to treat because symptoms usually don’t present themselves until the cancer has spread or metastasized. Symptoms may include unexplained weight loss, back pain, jaundice, and pain in the abdomen.
• According to research published in the World Journal of Clinical Cases, pancreatic cancer “has the lowest 5-year survival rate” largely because of a lack of serological markers for screening, aggressive local invasion, the tendency to spread, resistance to chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy, and late diagnosis.
• It’s also imperative to get regular checkups and screenings even when you are seemingly in perfect health. The more proactive you are about your health, the more of a chance you can stay ahead of a potential diagnosis. In general, the earlier you catch your cancer, the better the prognosis.

Since the "The Sopranos" made its debut 25 years ago, we can't help but remember how actor Robert LuPone, who acted as Tony Soprano's neighbor Dr. Bruce Cusamano in five episodes of the iconic crime drama TV series, bravely battled pancreatic cancer for three years before his passing in 2022. Robert "Bob" LuPone, a Brooklyn-born actor and artistic director who produced "Frozen" and "Hand to God," was just 76 years old when he passed away at a hospice facility on August 27, 2022. In the wake of his death, MCC Theater, an off-Broadway theater company in NYC which LuPone founded with others, made the following statement , "MCC founding Co-Artistic Director Bob LuPone passed away Saturday, August 27 after a three year battle with pancreatic cancer. He is survived by his wife, Virginia, his son Orlando, sister Patti, and brother William. He is also survived by the profound impact he had on us." LuPone, a Juilliard graduate, passed away near his home in Athens, New York. MCC added, "Bob was a force, an advocate, complex in the richest ways, overflowing with a youthful enthusiasm, and deeply wise as he looked in to our souls. "He was our best friend. It is hard to believe that we will never sit down with him again and say 'Let’s talk.'"

MCC Theater also recounted how LuPone expressed his love for working in theater said during a 2019 interview with the Primary Stages Off-Broadway Oral History Project, saying, "There’s no better life. Despite the cost, there’'s no better life than a life in theatre in New York City, with the community, with the ups and downs, with the fullness of life and creativity that you experience. "Both positive and negative, with the joys and sorrows of inspiration. That’s the reason to do any of this. And it’s a great life…it's a great life." LuPone, whose 75-year-old sister Patti LuPone is a famous actress and singer, is also remembered for appearing in shows like "Sex and the City" and "All My Children." RELATED: Happy Birthday Patti LuPone! See How the Actress and Breast Cancer Survivor Is Doing Today: "A Genuine Star" After his death, Patti shared a statement to PEOPLE , saying, "My brother Bobby was a dancer unparalleled. And it all started when he saw me in a dance recital wearing a hula skirt. I was 4, he was 7." "A life-sized picture of Bobby dancing in Jose Limon's modern ballet 'There Is a Time' hung in the photo gallery of the Juilliard School, where Bobby preceded me as a student in the dance division. A few years later, as a student in the theater division, I would walk by it proudly as well as in awe." RELATED: Edie Falco Had to Shoot Emotional ‘Sopranos’ Scene Right After Getting Breast Cancer Diagnosis - How Going Back to Work Helped Her Process Her Cancer Journey It's been two years since LuPone's passing, and we're delighted to see his fellow "Sopranos" cast members coming together to celebrate 25 years since the show's debut with the iconic show's creator David Chase and TODAY’s Tom Llamas at Tribeca Film Festival , where the two-hour-and-40-minute documentary "Wise Guy: David Chase and the Sopranos" made it's premiere. Referring to "The Sopranos" success and how it's still so memorable, Steve Schirripa, known for his role as Bobby Baccalieri, told Llamas, "Because the writing was incredible. Because of streaming, it’s all over the world. "More people watch 'The Sopranos' now than watched it when it was on originally." Schirripa, recounting when he first started working on the show, explained, "Well, it’s like an out-of-body experience. I’m saying, ‘I just watched these guys last week. Now I’m here in Jim’s trailer studying lines with Dominic [Chianese] and Jim [Gandolfini].’ And it was like, ‘Am I really here? How did I get here?'" TODAY pointed how how "The Sopranos" had a total of 86 episodes throughout it's six seasons between 1999 and 2007. Since the show concluded, James John Gandolfini Jr., known for his iconic role asTony Soprano, passed away at age 51 in 2013 from a heart attack, and Tony Sirico, known for his role as "Paulie Walnuts" Gualtieri, also passed away in 2022, just one month prior to LuPone's death. "As great of an actor he was .. he was an even better guy," Schirripa said about Gandolfini. "Listening to all of this and you asking these questions. It's bringing back all these scenes, these amazing actors ... they were all so good," Chase told Llamas.

Helping Patients With Pancreatic Cancer Resources

• Immunotherapy Offers New Hope for Fighting Pancreatic Cancer
• 3 Key Pancreatic Cancer Red Flags to Look Out For; Some Were Present in Alex Trebek & Patrick Swayze
• Rep. John Lewis and Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer — The Incredible Advances in Treatment
• New Drug to Keep Some Pancreatic Cancers from Worsening Takes a Giant Step Forward
• Pancreatic Cancer Rates are Rising In Women Aged 15 to 34, According to New Research; How To Recognize Symptoms
• Detecting Pancreatic Cancer Early Is Crucial

Pancreatic Cancer and its Ability to Go Unnoticed

More details into LuPone's cancer battle are unknown, however, it's important to understand that pancreatic cancer usually does not present noticeable symptoms until the cancer has already metastasized (spread) to other parts of the body. Although pancreatic cancer survival rates have been improving, it’s still considered to be largely incurable. An exception to this is if the tumor is still small enough and localized enough to be operated on. WATCH: Why Pancreatic Cancer is Hard to Treat While pancreatic cancer may not present symptoms early on, it’s still crucial to be aware of signs of the disease. The National Cancer Institute identifies the following symptoms:

• Dark urine
• Pain in the abdomen
• Unexplained weight loss
• Light-colored stools
• Loss of appetite and fatigue

Treatment options for pancreatic cancer may include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy.

Immunotherapy Offers Hope for Pancreatic Cancer Patients

Immunotherapy is the process of activating a patient’s immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells. These treatment options could be advantageous for patients who catch pancreatic cancer in its early stages. A study funded by the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy combined two immunotherapy drugs with chemotherapy and found that some patients experienced either a shrinking of tumors or a slowing of their progression. “Until now, immunotherapy hasn’t had a big role,” Dr. Allyson Ocean , Medical Oncologist at Weill Cornell Medicine and New York-Presbyterian, told SurvivorNet. "Now this study combines two immunotherapy drugs with frontline standard chemotherapy, and we’re seeing response rates significantly better than what was published with other chemotherapies alone." Be Pushy, Be Your Own Advocate, Don’t Settle Researchers Jai Hoon, Ye-Ji Jung, and Sung-Hoon Moon studied immunotherapy for pancreatic cancer. They said despite the hope immunotherapy offers for various cancer types, it is not currently the standard of care for pancreatic cancer. “Only anti-PD-1 antibodies have been approved by the United States FDA for patients with pancreatic cancer who have tested positive for microsatellite instability. Combination therapies with other immunotherapeutic agents, targeted therapies, stroma-modulating agents, chemotherapy, or multi-way combination therapies may provide treatment opportunities for patients with pancreatic cancer,” the researchers said. Immunotherapy does not work for all patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. Still, the advances presented in this study and others over the past few years give those facing this disease much hope.

Questions to Ask Your Doctor

If you are facing a pancreatic cancer diagnosis, you may have questions but are unsure how to get the answers you need. SurvivorNet suggests asking your doctor the following to kickstart your journey to more solid answers.

• What type of pancreatic cancer do I have?
• Has my cancer spread beyond my pancreas? If so, where has it spread, and what is the stage of the disease?
• What is my prognosis?
• What are my treatment options?
• What side effects should I expect after undergoing treatment?
• Will insurance cover my recommended treatment?

The Power of a Solid Support System

One way SurvivorNet experts encourage cancer patients or anyone dealing with adversity to alleviate the stress of a health issue or the death of a loved one is by leaning on their support system, just like "The Soprano" cast members have done with each other. A support system can be made up of loved ones like family and friends. It can also be comprised of strangers who have come together because of a shared cancer experience. Mental health professionals can also be critical parts of a support system. “Some people don’t need to go outside of their family and friend’s circle. They feel like they have enough support there,” psychiatrist Dr. Lori Plutchik told SurvivorNet. “But for people who feel like they need a little bit more, it’s important to reach out to a mental health professional,” Dr. Plutchik added. Dr. Plutchik also stressed how important it is for people supporting cancer warriors to understand their emotions can vary day-to-day. “People can have a range of emotions, they can include fear, anger, and these emotions tend to be fluid. They can recede and return based on where someone is in the process,” she explained. Meanwhile, Dr. Charmain Jackman , a licensed psychologist and founder of InnoPsych, echoes SurvivorNet experts on the benefits of positive mental health while facing a health diagnosis. Dr. Jackman explained, “In the face of a life-threatening diagnosis, fear, hopelessness, and despair can quickly take space in your mind. However, your mindset is a superpower and can be a potent antidote to illness. “Practicing gratitude, cultivating joy, and connecting to the community are practical ways to develop a resilient mindset.” Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff