Goodness me! To say she dodged a bullet would be very true. I'm shocked but then
unless in big cities (in Canada) there's rarely use of firearms. Holdups there
are and no less traumatic.

A lot of wisdom in your post and I'm glad you are a nurse. That's bad news
indeed that it's spread to the liver but not unusual since the signs and
symptoms are often non-specific.

I'm wondering what you mean by "hi-jacK'? Could you please clarify? Trying to
prevent the patient from having more treatments or trying to stop doctors from
trying new treatments? or ???

I value every life on this planet, but I believe that the best of both counties
is yet to be found.
In our country some people feel that doctors give up too easy and in your
country, I sometimes get the impression that *some* doctors "push" treatments
when it's clear there'll be no benefit (palliation, remission or cure).  And
some patients (and friends and family) have been so accustomed to hearing the
words "cancer" and "chemo", they cannot distinguish between types of cancer and
those that are treatable and those who should opt for quality of life.

In that regard, if you can be there with your friend when she consults with the
doctors at MD Anderson, try to work through Steph's Questions to Ask with the
doctor and write the doctor's answers down. So your friend (and family) can have
time to let it sink in
<http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&selm=KyW97.994%243x.3689%40ne
ws.bc.tac.net>

You know Julianne, I've been here approx 4 years, Steph longer and he practises
radiation oncology in a Province on the West Coast. I've rarely, if ever, heard
of a pancreatic cancer patient with liver involvement surviving more than 3
months. On numerous occasions, I've searched and searched the internet. I did
find a web page that claimed to have survivors and e-mail addresses. I emailed a
few persons and never got replies. The e-mails did not "bounce back" meaning
they were going somewhere but nobody home. Or the e-mail addresses had been
reallocated to someone new. Some of the few survivors I have found were caught
early and had surgery, (and there was no spread to other organs)..
I'm sorry to be so direct, but it's important to know. If she survives longer,
it's a bonus. I'm sad to say. We usually tell patients (or loved ones) to tell
to get their affairs in order immediately and that includes power of attorney
for health care and more.

I certainly encourage her to visit with her family for as long as she is well.
If there's bile duct or other blockage, she could require a stent so she can eat
as long as possible. These are perhaps things to talk to MD Anderson about.

I encourage such patients to try to eat like a diabetic for as long as they can,
but do have some treats also.  Actually I think John's Hopkins has a section on
their web page about that. Near the end, (unless the liver fails first), the
pancreatic cancer takes all the nutrition from whatever foods or drinks they are
absorbing and fast weight loss, sometimes severe pain /pancreatitis and severe
fatique occur.

I think (but not sure) that chemo can help wth liver pain. Perhaps Steph could
clarify and/or radiation therapy. I'm not at all sure that chemo helps with
pancreatic pain. Perhaps steroids if there's inflammation. Mike will be around,
he's in palliative care in Australia.

I don't like posting hospital web sites (advocating or advertising for them) but
this one has the most comprehensive
information.http://pathology2.jhu.edu/pancreas/index.htm

Post anytime,
J