Linda2010

Hi Linda, yes I did have pancreatic cancer.It started @ Christmas 2010. Chemo and radiation to shrink it so they could operate. Surgery on Sept.7th,2011.Body and tail removed and also spleen. All scans were clear except for 1 nodule which they were watching.Scan on May 25th, 2013 showed that nodule looked "different". waited 6 weeks and did another ct on July 25th. that showed the nodule had grown from 5mm to 6mm in that 6 weeks. My Dr. sent me to a thoracic surgeon which I saw today. I need to do a PET next week and a wedge resecetion on Sept. 16th. Dr. said it could be pancreatic that has spread or it could be lung cancer. Of course we won't know until th biopsy is done.
I am ashamed to say I was a smoker years ago so there is a good chance it is LC. Then again it could be benign,you never know. Whatever it is,I'm scared out of my mind !!!
I don't know what your situation is.Is it you or a friend that has gotten this horrible news?
I wish you the very best of luck.Stay strong. Zoe

Welcome to WhatNext-I am glad you found us, though not under these circumstances. I am part of the TriHealth Cancer Institute (Good Samaritan Hospital, Bethesda North Hospital and Butler County Hospital). Please let me know if I can do anything-connect you to resources in the greater Cincinnati area-I'd like to make your journey easier.

Linda,
How about an update? Haven't seen anything from you for 2 months, sort of scares me. WhatNext will redact email addresses but, if you would rather email us directly use rickash windstream net ( I'm sure you'll figure that out. Will monitor here and my Inbox for an update.
Praying for Good News.
Rick

Hello Linda, It is sooo hard, My husband is going thru this, What about a clinical trial?
Country

Hello Linda,

Sounds like there is much reason to be hopeful/ My husband was stage 2b in Oct and now they seel lesions on the liver and they say Stage 4/
I am devestaed of coarse and trying to put on a brave face and not doing well with that, A port on Monday and new plan Wednesday
God Bless
Country

I read about your husband's peripheral neuropathy. It it's difficult for him, and the gabapentin doesn't work, you might ask the doctor about the antidepressant drug, Cymbalta.

Linda,
My oncologist will not use Gemcetibine. He is world famous, I see him at Vanderbilt monthly. He says it causes severe, permanent nerve damage. What I have is bad enough (neuropathy) from the 5Fu. I would ask your doctor. Lyrica will help but I still have no feeling in my fingers and toes.

Hey Linda, that's pretty good news if that is a new drug coming down the pipeline. If you will, please post this in the questions tab at the top of any page. That way it goes to everyone on the questions page, and also it is sent to everyone with your like diagnoses.

Thanks for posting, and thanks for being on the site.

Greg P
3x Survivor
Team WhatNext
Community Mgr

My dad did not have surgery for this cancer. There was no primary tumor visible in the pancreas-- only secondary tumor in the liver on which they cannot operate.

CA19-9, from what I understand, doesn't mean a whole lot. That's why they cannot use it to screen for pancreatic cancer effectively. It does show up with pancreatic cancer. They also look for what they do not see, which indicates it's not something else. It's just one tool they have, and there are people right here on Whatnext and elsewhere with their CA19-9 in the 10,000's. Dad had his CA19-9 checked once a month, billed at $75.00 each through insurance, for the purpose of helping to see if the therapy was effective. When he started, he was at about 70. It continued to rise with no decrease, and at last check before stopping treatment was >200.

It is frustrating not knowing for sure if the diagnosis is correct. The standard of care, Gemzar or gemcitabine is also used for lung cancer.

In dad's case, they did a liver biopsy on the tumor. The doctor then received pathology reports on that, including results of a diagnostic lab test called "tissue of origin." Based on this, it does appear to be pancreatic cancer. If you can get copies of your pathology reports, you may get some insight into their thinking. We chose a convenient local cancer center in Florida.

If you're looking for doctors with more experience in pancreatic cancer for a second opinion, or experienced surgeons, you might check with the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network http://www.pancan.org/section_facing_pancreatic_cancer/oneonone_support/index.php

Welcome to Whatnext. Best wishes to you and your husband. It looks like he's been at it a long time.

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Team WhatNext