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Medical Forum / Diseases and Disorders / Cancer / February 2008Pancreatic cancer
A close friend has just been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and it looks like it has spread to his liver. Next week he's going to have a laser-guided biopsy. Does anyone know if the results of those biopsies come through fairly quickly? He was sent home from hospital on Tuesday after being in there for 13 days, but he's very weak and really can't look after himself, he's lost his appetite, can't or won't eat etc. From what I've read online the prognosis seems to be about the same as cancer of the oesophagus - ie not very good. Has anyone here any experience of pancreatic cancer and give any advice? I'm not looking for miracles - I think it's a bit too late for that Splodge > A close friend has just been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and it looks > like it has spread to his liver. Next week he's going to have a laser-guided [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > > Splodge Hello Splodge I'm sorry to hear about your friend. The prognosis for pancreatic cancer is worse than esophageal? It's similar to bile duct cancer, which can be involved with pancreatic cancer. Get a 2nd opinion before considering surgery; it's often more extensive (and/or too hard on the body) than first thought Time may be short. Help him get his affairs in order and make sure there's no loose ends that he's forgotten about. I would think the biopsy result would be fairly quick, but might not show the extent (see above). J > A close friend has just been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and it looks > like it has spread to his liver. Next week he's going to have a laser-guided [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > > Splodge Splodge, Stay wth us if you'd like us to support you and he through you, on an ongoing basis. Is he in UK as well? There's others here from UK too. J >> A close friend has just been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and it >> looks [quoted text clipped - 26 lines] > There's others here from UK too. > J Thank you J. Yes, he's on the south coast and is very poorly indeed. He needs to be back in hossie but is refusing to go - at the moment...... Will try and post more as and when. Splodge > >> A close friend has just been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and it > >> looks [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > Will try and post more as and when. > Splodge I've got so many questions, I don't know where to start, but I'll try. How did he come to end up in hospital? GP referred him due to pain, severe weight loss or jaundice? Does he have a GP nearby? No one to help him at home? Dio you live nearby ? And trying to care for him? Is he in pain? Or got pain pills? I"ve never lived in UK, but found a map. There seems to be Plymouth Community Specialist Palliative Care Team http://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/Community%20NursingR.html Or the Rowans Hospice with outreach into the Portsmouth community There's also Marie Curie, but I haven't checked locations they cover. http://www.mariecurie.org.uk/ (I don't know if I'm looking in the right areas, but what I'm saying is there may be local help for him) His GP would be of help with this, if he has one. Why won't he go back to hospital? I'll try to be as helpful as possible. J > I've got so many questions, I don't know where to start, but I'll try. > How did he come to end up in hospital? GP referred him due to pain, [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > I'll try to be as helpful as possible. > J I'll do my best to answer your questions, J, but I'm pleased to say things have moved fast since it was diagnosed. A care package is now in place, with carers/nurses visiting three times a day and making sure they stay to watch him eat. This coming week he is due to have a laser-guided biopsy and will be staying in hossie at least overnight. They have also introduced his sister and myself to the hospital liaison lady who will be able to help re MacMillans etc as time goes on. He lost his appetite (totally) about 18 months ago and has struggled to eat since then. He lives alone (age 75) and has not been eating properly so was very weak when his doctor saw him again after New Year. He lives in Lee-on-Solent, and is as stubborn as hell lol. I can't visit often as I'm disabled and live 50 miles away. Those links were really useful as it's nice to know what sort of help is available. Thank you Splodge > I'll do my best to answer your questions, J, but I'm pleased to say things > have moved fast since it was diagnosed. A care package is now in place, with [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > Thank you > Splodge Thank you for answering my questions. Wow. 18 months, 75 year old. I wonder if adenocarcinomas of the pancreas grow slower in the elderly or if he's got a slower growing type? http://162.129.103.53/pancreas/typtable.cfm (question for the surgeon). Is this the NHS? It's hard for me to believe they'd put him through the risks of surgery, being very weak and can't look after himself. Sure, he'd have aftercare, but I wouldn't want to see him end his days in hospital. If he's happier where he is... I wonder what they hope to achieve? What's the recovery time? Is he going to feel better or worse, after the surgery? (questions for surgeon/doctor) Here's some links < http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1358047 > Says "Overall median survival was 19 months" and "Morbidity and mortality rates, although slightly greater than for patients who are older than 70 years, are acceptable." You might want to do some reading here < http://www.surgery.usc.edu/divisions/tumor/pancreasdiseases/web%20pages/pancreas %20cancer/Adenocarcinoma%20of%20pancreas.html and some of the relevant sections down the right side. Whose got his Medical Power of Attorney? His sister? I wonder if you could help (provide her) with some questions to ask the doctors. How's she feeling / coping ? You're welcome, for the other links. However, it sounds like he's getting very good care at home as it is now. I'm pleased to read that. J > Here's some links > < http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1358047 > > Says "Overall median survival was 19 months" and "Morbidity and mortality rates, > although slightly greater than for patients who are older than 70 years, are > acceptable." This is more recent and more detailled than the one above http://archsurg.ama-assn.org/cgi/reprint/141/2/137.pdf 6 pages - Format Adobe Acrobat J >> Here's some links >> < http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1358047 > [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > 6 pages - Format Adobe Acrobat > J Thanks for the links J. There's certainly lots to read there, and I've bookmarked them. I'll also pass them onto his sister as I don't think I'll be going down to see him for a week or maybe two. Splodge > > J wrote: I've got so many questions, I don't know where to start, but I'll > try. [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > Thank you > Splodge You've been quiet, Splodge, How are you doing? And news of your friend? How did things go with the biopsy? J - thinking of you >A close friend has just been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and it >looks like it has spread to his liver. Next week he's going to have a [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > Splodge This blog shows we are not really alone in this fight. It might provide some information for us on our adventure. http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~pausch/news/index.html <a href="http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~pausch/news/index.html">http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~pausch/new s/index.html</a> BetsyB >>A close friend has just been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and it looks >>like it has spread to his liver. Next week he's going to have a [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] > <a > href="http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~pausch/news/index.html">http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~pausch/new s/index.html</a> That's interesting to read Betsy - thank you for the link. He sounds like a very brave chap, and very positive. Splodge >>>A close friend has just been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and it >>>looks like it has spread to his liver. Next week he's going to have a [quoted text clipped - 27 lines] > like a very brave chap, and very positive. > Splodge That is the same thoughts I had and thought it might come in handy. Betsy > >A close friend has just been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and it > >looks like it has spread to his liver. Next week he's going to have a [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > > http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~pausch/news/index.html Goodness me ! He must have been really healthy. Scuba diving after toxic treatment: ' a nation-wide trial was shut down because several patients died from the treatment." Then he spent 2 months in hospital at MD Anderson. - receiving a whole slew of treatments. http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~pausch/shortsummary.html It's a shorter summary. "The next four months of chemo (continuous infusion 5-FU) was back in Pittsburgh, through May 2007." In August it had spread to his liver and spleen (10 tumors on his liver, I read elsewhere). At that time, they gave him 3 - 6 months "of healthy living". There's no entries for January. Maybe it's because he moved back to Virginia. The man's famous - he's got his own wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randy_Pausch Thanks for that, Betsy. I'd never heard of him before. J >> >A close friend has just been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and it >> >looks like it has spread to his liver. Next week he's going to have [quoted text clipped - 48 lines] > I'd never heard of him before. > J Me either. I found the link on another newsgroup. Dinner time, later. Betsy >> >A close friend has just been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and it >> >looks like it has spread to his liver. Next week he's going to have a [quoted text clipped - 51 lines] >sound up a bit so you don't miss some of the little side comments - and be >sure to watch full screen. ...................sherry > "J" <nswex@nalid;non> wrote in message > >> This blog shows we are not really alone in this fight. It might provide [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > sure to watch full screen. > ...................sherry Thanks Sherry, I can't watch because of slow dialup, but maybe others will. And how are you doing? We don't hear very often from you. (Here's where you tell the readers you were cured by surgery, right?) J >> "J" <nswex@nalid;non> wrote in message >> >> This blog shows we are not really alone in this fight. It might [quoted text clipped - 29 lines] > (Here's where you tell the readers you were cured by surgery, right?) > J Can't you go to a library and watch? The man is impressive and worth the extra trip. |
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