Pancreatic cancer spread after whipple

corrdal · Regular Joined: 13 May 2008 Posts: 14

Hi
My dad was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer 3yrs ago. He had a tumour removed from the head 3.5cm ductal adenocarcinoma (whipple). He has been doin great until six months ago abnormal lfts and recent ct scan shows secondaries to liver Crying or Very sad

his surgeon at kings college london has referred him for chemo and surgery he says is not an option but i want a 2nd opinion as i know chemo is only palliative and not curative. I have bought him some triphala for now and we are lookin into oxygenizing his body to try and fight this horrible disease. I wish i had researched more 3 yrs ago and used these alternative therapies cos maybe it would not have come back. Oncologist told my dad he may only have 12 months my dad is 58yrs old. I did not think my dad would resort to herbals but he now realises how serious things are now and said if your not in it you cant win it. He hasnt started any conventional treatment yet cos we are waitng for more scan and blood results but in the meantime i feel i need to gather as much info as i can and try whatever may help. Can anyone tell me if you can get ukrain in england. My message to anyone who has had surgery to remove this cancer is not to assume it has been cured and not to pass any symptoms off as being down to something else as my dad has been doing for the last six months. Has anyone else been in this situation before and give me some advise, i would be very grateful.

Corrina

{edited by admin for all caps}

Queensland Girl · Regular Joined: 17 Oct 2007 Posts: 38 Location: Australia

Hi Corrina,

I'm sorry to read about your Dad's condition. I would suggest that when the original surgery was done, all of the follow up tests would have suggested that your Dad was cancer free. Unfortunately, I'm also sure the doctors would have mentioned that it may return.

So please, what ever you do, don't blame yourself for not having researched this disease further at the time. All you can do now is confront this desease head on and ask as many questions as you can.

I also hope your Dad can start a treatment regime sooner rather than later.

My thoughts are with you,

Queensland Girl

corrdal · Regular Joined: 13 May 2008 Posts: 14

Thank you Queensland Girl for your reply

I was wondering if you know anyone who has had surgery for secondaries to the liver as if feel this is the best option?

Surgeon said my dad has abnormal cells around hepatic artery in liver but have not suggested anywhere else. I have read that they can remove tumours in the liver if confined to one area but with this type of cancer they dont normally do it as it might pop up somewhere else! Might or might not how can they be certain. My dad has survived 3yrs so far without it showing up so it seems his is not as agressive toward him or the capecitabine chemo he received has helped to keep it away for this long.

Thanks again any advice much welcome

Corrina

corrdal · Regular Joined: 13 May 2008 Posts: 14

Hi again

Just got a call from my dads oncologist with results of CT scans to chest abdominal and pelvic which is all clear Smile

He is now recommending a further PET CT scan to get a better look as he is not 100% sure that the abnormal tissue/cells on the liver is cancer as the abnormal area is so small it is difficult to tell. My dads tumour marker CA-19.9 is 34 so considered normal. He feels treatment without further cofirmation at this stage is premature so i got all my fingures and toes crossed.

I will keep posted

Corrina

corrdal · Regular Joined: 13 May 2008 Posts: 14

Thank you again queensland girl for your reply

I read about your loss on another post and just wanted to say how sorry i am, I hope you are coping and my thoughts are with you. I am glued to the net at the mo for any info that i can get in preparation for my dad and his next steps so sorry if i seem a bit self absorbed but i would like to be here to give advise to any one else as well if it will help. I feel quite positive and the moment with recent events and am being a lot easier on myself. Thank you.

Keeping posted

Corrina

starseed · Regular Joined: 06 Sep 2006 Posts: 17

Corrdal,

My mom is in the same boat as your dad.

The doctors and everyone else believes the recurrence is very aggressive for my mom, but that needs to be verified. Doctors basically said this is it and mom is going to die.

Partly due to age, at 80, and weakened from radiation and chemotherapy and a car accident, surgery is not an option and the doctors doesn't even want to do chemotherapy unless she wants it and only if she can handle it.

Based on tumor markers and signs in her liver enzymes, doctor is sure it is metastasizing at least in her liver, but since the tumors have not showed up, he is simply waiting 6 more weeks.

He said tumors could show up anywhere from the brain to the lungs or to multiple organs. He really cannot lay out a treatment without knowing where it is metastasizing and how fast the tumors are growing.

So mom (and family) have to wait in 6 week increments until the Doctor knows what is going on.

It's not good for us and we are mainly focused on hospice verses another fight, even though mom wants to fight.

corrdal · Regular Joined: 13 May 2008 Posts: 14

Hi all

My dad has just got results back from pet ct scan and it shows reccurrence of pc but they say is very small in artery to liver and not operable. It is not showing anywhere else. My dad is very tired and suffering some pain but his oncologist says he does not think the cancer is causing the tiredness as it is too small? Confusing!

We live in the UK and he has been taking Triphala but has stopped at the moment as a process of elimination to see if his well being improves. I hope he starts taking it again. I would prefer him to have surgery but no one in the UK will but i read a post on the JHU message board that they are doing liver surgery for secondary PC spread if it is local?

I am looking at all different options but i just dont know what to recommend to my Dad as there seems so many different options.

I think maybe Telovac trial? His oncologist has recommended GEMCAP followed by capecitabine/radiation

Any help please!

Thanking you all

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