Pancreatic Cancer (Update... pg 2)

[Melora]

My best friends dad has just been diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer. They said it is operable. He was having symptoms that he thought might have been Hepatitus so he went to the doc and they did an MRI and found a mass.

Does anyone have any experience with this? Is it survivable or does it have a high mortality rate?

My friend is saying they will wait and see how the surgery comes out, but I think she is really upset and worried.

 

[Mercy]

I'm sorry to hear about your friend's dad. I believe that is what Michael Landon (Little House on the Prairie) died from. Will keep your friend's dad in my prayers. They have so many new treatments available now, hopefully all will go well.

 

[Magix]

Unfortunately, pancreatic cancer does have a very high mortality rate. A woman in our racing club was diagnosed and everyone expected her to pass away very quickly. However, she did chemo and scheduled it around her races, so she could have some fun amongst all that yuck. She was a very lively, wonderful person and she managed to stick around for a year and a half after her diagnosis. Lots of people don't make it that long, though. Pancreatic cancer is very, very serious stuff. I recommend doing a search online for more information.

My best to you, your best friend, and her father. This will be a very difficult time. I wish there was some way to make it better...

 

[Talking Hands]

I'm so sorry. Pancreatic cancer is nasty stuff. Two of my daughters' friends lost their Dad to it.

 

[buzzlady]

I'm sorry about your friends dad. My dad died of pancreatic cancer in 1991. They did try to operate but it was too involved. I don't remember the exact words ~ all I heard was that he only had 6-9 months to live. He did have chemo & radiation. My dad died exactly 7 month from the day he came home from the hospital. It's not an easy thing to watch happen to someone. I hope for the best and and easy road for your friends dad.

 

[clh2]

My BIL passed away from pancreatic cancer. BIL pretty much didn't have a chance...he felt lousy for months before he went to the doctor.

Hopefully your friend's dad was diagnosed sooner!

Prayers to you, your friend and her dad! Medicine is moving at a very fast pace these days...if the doc's are saying it is operable there is hope!

 

[Pop Daddy]

My dad had it and lived 5 mo. But you never know.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Yes, unfortunately, this is a very lethal cancer that is often not caught early because by the time there are symptoms, it has already gone too far. My best friend's DH passed away from it a year ago last October. He was diagnosed the end of August, and lived only 6 weeks. It was not operable, and they told him to expect 6 weeks to 6 months.

 

[Brer_Papa]

I lost a younger brother to pancreatic cancer. He was diagnosed in December of 1996 and given a few months to live at most. His oncologist gave him a new ( at the time) chemo called gemscar (sp).

The gemscar worked very well from December 1996 thru June of 1997...and despite all that the oncologist could do and a valiant fight by my brother....he passed on Octber 4, 1997 at the age of 34.

Yes, it is a nasty and terrible cancer with a high mortality rate.

I pray daily there is a breakthough or a cure.... I will never give up hope that one day this terrible disease meets up with a medicine that beats this monster into the ground.

I will pray for your friends Dad...

 

[mermaidlady]

my dad was just diagnosed with it. He was told he had 9 mon to a year. He will start on Gemzar next week. He was told that chemo would only relieve symptoms and not a surgical candidate because he already liver involvement

 

[cindala]

Unfortunately, pancreatic cancer is a very deadly cancer, with less than a 5% survival rate past 5 years. My Mom died of this horrible disease 25 years ago. She survived 15 months without chemo or radiation treatment. She had a few surgeries to bypass growths, and her quality of life was decent. She opted against the chemo, and we feel she made the right decision.

If caught in the earliest of stages, and if the cancer is contained within the pancreas only, it is possible sometimes to completely remove the pancreas. This offers the best chance for survival.

Have your friends doctor see if the new drug Avastin is useful against pancreatic cancer. It acts differently than chemo, because it cuts off the enzymes that the cancer needs to grow. My dear sister just died of breast cancer, and she was set to try one of these new drugs in her battle.

Best thoughts and wishes to your friend and her father.

 

[poohandwendy]

I don't want to give you false hope, but my natural father was dx with pancreatic cancer (MRI) and it ended up that his mass was benign. They took some of his pancreas, and he is now diabetic, but doing well (other than the unrelated heart disease he has). They do not know, without doubt, until pathology confirms it.

It probably is best to accept that there is a strong likelyhood of cancer, but as mentioned before, treatments are becoming better everyday. I think it is important to not look at mortality stats too much, they can be defeating. The energy now should be focused on what CAN be done, not what could happen. One day at a time. Cancer is an awful disease.

Keeping you and the family involved in my thoughts and prayers.

 

[Mishetta]

I'm sorry to add to the gloom & doom stories but my cousin's husband passed away from pancreatic cancer last year. He kept complaining of feeling bloated & it took about 3 months before he was diagnosed. Anyway, they only offered chemo & radiation & he did both treatments. He died about a year later.

I used to work in a hospital & we had a patient who had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer & the doctors removed his pancreas & he just now has to take insulin the rest of his life. The doctors call him the walking miracle because this doesn't happen too often.

So sorry for your friends Dad. I hope his case has a happy ending.

 

[Micca]

I'm very sorry and will hope for the best

 

[eeyore74]

*hugs to you and her dad* A dear friend of mine recently passed away from pancreatic cancer. It's a tough one. His was unoperable. He tried chemo, and a bunch of other stuff, but it was caught very late. They told him he had IBS for years.

This is a site that might give some answers, as well as links to other sites and support groups. http://pancan.com/

I hope your friend's dad will get better.

 

[DVC-Don]

My wife has lost 2 brothers to pancreatic cancer.

 

[Dan Murphy]

No experience or input, Melora, only know my prayers and best wishes are with your friend's dad, her and family, and you also. Hoping for the best, and always, miracles happen too.

Dan

 

[Serena]

You have my thoughts and prayers. I hope medicine has improved enough to help.

They think this is what my mom had too. By the time they found it, they gave her less than 6 weeks. She lived for about 6 months, until right after mother's day 11 years ago.

 

[Pooh_Friend#1]

You are in my thoughts and prayers. I lost my grandpa to pancreatic cancer a few years ago. When he was first diagnosed they said he had six months to live and that it had spread so much and so fast that they couldn't operate or do anything for him. He ended up living 2 years, but the last year was very hard and painful on him. Pray for a miracle.

 

[6_Time_Momma]

Lost my grandma to it.

I'll pray for your friend's dad.

my dad was just diagnosed with it. He was told he had 9 mon to a year. He will start on Gemzar next week. He was told that chemo would only relieve symptoms and not a surgical candidate because he already liver involvement

And for your dad, too, mermaidlady.