amits
New User
Joined: 04 Feb 2010
Posts: 2
Location: India
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 Posted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 1:02 am Post subject: Pancreatic cancer Spreads to liver - Now Swollen legs |
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It was Nov 3 it all started..
Symptoms:
Dad lost a lot of weight and was getting way too tired, we went and met our family physician and he suggested us to get CT scan, blood test later asked us to get the endorscopy, bioscopy and CA19-9, CEA and through the diognosys we found he had Cancer in the pancreas and it had already spreaded to the liver.
We met the oncology doctor and he said dad was already in the IV stage and cant be operated to remove the tumor.
Doctor suggested Chemo therapy 6 cycles with 2 weeks gap after the 3rd chemo, but after the 6th chemo, nothing improved and he was unable to eat anything properly, Doc now says that the chemo may NOT be working on him and said after the blood test on the 8th he would suggest to continue with the Chemo or not 
and from the time his therapy started his sugar level keeps varying to a very large extant.
This morning we started noticing both his legs were swollen and he is getting into a lot of depression mode.
If anyone could help me understand the situation it would be really helpful.
Thanks,
Amit |
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Blue-Dolphin
New User
Joined: 15 Jan 2010
Posts: 7
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| Posted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 10:33 am Post subject: Re: Pancreatic cancer Spreads to liver - Now Swollen legs |
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Amit,
I am so sorry to hear that your Dad and you are on this horrible journey together. From my own experience with my mother and PC, when patients are found to be stage IV with mets to the liver, surgery is usually not possible when there are too many or of a size, metastases. In a few cases, surgery is possible but it just depends on where and how extensive the mets are. Because the liver is such a blood-rich organ, to operate may cause the cancer to suddenly start growing rapidly, and you don't want that. The usual response is to give chemo in hopes of shrinking the tumors, which then might allow surgeons to operate. My mother was not in good enough shape to receive chemo or surgery, unfortunately.
There are many different protocols out there (5FU, Gemzitabine, Tarceva, Xeloda, Cisplatin), which are given alone or in tandem with another, as well as alternative treatments such as IV Vitamin C. Your Dad might be able to try something else or, depending on his age, he may qualify to do a clinical trial? Certainly worth discussing other protocols, and alternative options such as the IV Vit C which work to boost the immune system while creating an environment (anti-oxidation) that the cancer cannot effectively grow in. If you Google IV Vitamin C + Cancer, you should be able to find many studies and information regarding the successes in effectively stopping or slowing the growth of cancer in some patients.
Loss of weight is a common side effect of pancreatic cancer, and can be a devil to deal with as the cancer robs the body of nutrients. Try and encourage him to eat and take in fluids, as much as possible. If you feel that your Dad could benefit from anti-depressive medication, there is Dronabinol, Mirtazapine and Ativan which come, especially the Dronabinol, with the side effect of increasing appetite.
With respect to the swelling in your Dad's legs, this could be ascites (fluid buildup), which is usually a sign of poor liver function and can indirectly effect the ability to eat. I would speak with your Dad's doctor about this situation for his/her feedback. You will want to keep an eye on this as it can be a prime indicator of the progression of the cancer.
Don't give up hope as there have been some successes for stage IV PC patients in living beyond original prognosis times. Get as much information as you can to be informed of all the options available. Second opinions don't hurt and will give you additional information to weigh the options. Ask lots of questions and take notes where you can so that you can keep track of what is going on and what has been discussed.
I wish your Dad and you all the best on this journey. |
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