Pancriatic cancer
Discussion
A good friend was diagnosed a few moths back and has been having chemo/radiation treatment. Initially the tumour was the size of a rugby ball, but due to the treatment was greatly reduced. Thing is she's recently been told that the treatment has stopped working, and the doctors here (Dubai) seem to have given up and say there's nothing more that can be done. Hearing that they gave her a couple of months to live wasn't easy to hear.
She's been informed of this new pill that has a dramatic effect, but once again the docs here suggest that it won't be suitable. So, that's it? Nothing else out there? Mrs C and I are struggling with the "that's it" and give up attitude, but the lady in question and her husband seem to have exhausted any other avenues.
Was just wondering if anyone had any experience or read something...or anything which could give them any hope?
Cheers.
She's been informed of this new pill that has a dramatic effect, but once again the docs here suggest that it won't be suitable. So, that's it? Nothing else out there? Mrs C and I are struggling with the "that's it" and give up attitude, but the lady in question and her husband seem to have exhausted any other avenues.
Was just wondering if anyone had any experience or read something...or anything which could give them any hope?
Cheers.
Pretty much echo what IH has said. This will probably sounds really brutal, we lost my Dad three and a half years ago to the saem, the docs took 6 months to finally diagnose by which time there was other problems, he managed one dose of chemo (I think that was more for mom so she thought Dad wasn't giving up) and he was gone from us in six weeks, the outlook for this kind of cancer is not good at all 
Wish your friend all the luck in the world if they can get on any that will prolong their life, just spend as much time as you can with them now.
Wish your friend all the luck in the world if they can get on any that will prolong their life, just spend as much time as you can with them now.
Sorry to read about this.
What wiki says about pancreatic cancer symptoms - the silent killer.
Pancreatic cancer is sometimes referred to as a "silent killer" because early pancreatic cancer often does not cause symptoms,[5] and the later symptoms are usually nonspecific and varied.[5] Therefore, pancreatic cancer is often not diagnosed until it is advanced.[5] Common symptoms include:
Pain in the upper abdomen that typically radiates to the back[5] (seen in carcinoma of the body or tail of the pancreas)
Loss of appetite and/or nausea and vomiting[5]
Significant weight loss
Painless jaundice (yellow tint to whites of eyes and/or yellowish skin in serious cases, possibly in combination with darkened urine)[5] when a cancer of the head of the pancreas (about 60% of cases) obstructs the common bile duct as it runs through the pancreas. This may also cause pale-colored stool and steatorrhea. The jaundice may be associated with itching as the salt from excess bile can cause skin irritation.
Trousseau sign, in which blood clots form spontaneously in the portal blood vessels, the deep veins of the extremities, or the superficial veins anywhere on the body, is sometimes associated with pancreatic cancer.
Diabetes mellitus, or elevated blood sugar levels. Many patients with pancreatic cancer develop diabetes months to even years before they are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, suggesting new onset diabetes in an elderly individual may be an early warning sign of pancreatic cancer.[6]
Clinical depression has been reported in association with pancreatic cancer, sometimes presenting before the cancer is diagnosed. However, the mechanism for this association is not known.[7]
Symptoms of pancreatic cancer metastasis. Typically, pancreatic cancer first metastasizes to regional lymph nodes, and later to the liver and, less commonly, to the lungs;[8] it occasionally metastasizes to bone or brain.
What wiki says about pancreatic cancer symptoms - the silent killer.
Pancreatic cancer is sometimes referred to as a "silent killer" because early pancreatic cancer often does not cause symptoms,[5] and the later symptoms are usually nonspecific and varied.[5] Therefore, pancreatic cancer is often not diagnosed until it is advanced.[5] Common symptoms include:
Pain in the upper abdomen that typically radiates to the back[5] (seen in carcinoma of the body or tail of the pancreas)
Loss of appetite and/or nausea and vomiting[5]
Significant weight loss
Painless jaundice (yellow tint to whites of eyes and/or yellowish skin in serious cases, possibly in combination with darkened urine)[5] when a cancer of the head of the pancreas (about 60% of cases) obstructs the common bile duct as it runs through the pancreas. This may also cause pale-colored stool and steatorrhea. The jaundice may be associated with itching as the salt from excess bile can cause skin irritation.
Trousseau sign, in which blood clots form spontaneously in the portal blood vessels, the deep veins of the extremities, or the superficial veins anywhere on the body, is sometimes associated with pancreatic cancer.
Diabetes mellitus, or elevated blood sugar levels. Many patients with pancreatic cancer develop diabetes months to even years before they are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, suggesting new onset diabetes in an elderly individual may be an early warning sign of pancreatic cancer.[6]
Clinical depression has been reported in association with pancreatic cancer, sometimes presenting before the cancer is diagnosed. However, the mechanism for this association is not known.[7]
Symptoms of pancreatic cancer metastasis. Typically, pancreatic cancer first metastasizes to regional lymph nodes, and later to the liver and, less commonly, to the lungs;[8] it occasionally metastasizes to bone or brain.
A guy I was at Uni with had a couple of years with Pancreatic Cancer and researched it very throughly(as you'd expect of a pharmacist).He had the best treatment he could get including some trial chemo, but died in July.
Sorry to be so gloomy, but there's very little chance of survival
Sorry to be so gloomy, but there's very little chance of survival
Essentially, the issue is whether it's caught before it's spread. Unusual because normally it doesn't show any symptoms before spreading.
But if it is caught and the patient is healthy enough for a major operation most or all of the pancreas can be removed. This gives a five year survival rate of around 20%. With the rare less aggressive form of pancreatic cancer survival can be longer (EG Steve Jobs).
If it's inoperable, then average life expectancy is around 7 months. Five year surival rate is negligible.
Overall, 5 year survival rate is around 3%.
But if it is caught and the patient is healthy enough for a major operation most or all of the pancreas can be removed. This gives a five year survival rate of around 20%. With the rare less aggressive form of pancreatic cancer survival can be longer (EG Steve Jobs).
If it's inoperable, then average life expectancy is around 7 months. Five year surival rate is negligible.
Overall, 5 year survival rate is around 3%.
Blimey, it's so sad to hear of everyone's experiences, it must have been hell to go through so thanks for the replies.
I never realised that it was such an aggressiver cancer, if that makes sense. She was diagnosed quite late (understandable reading the above) and it has already spread. What amazes me is that the couple have just accepted it. It's a little easier to understand given what I now know, and I guess they've done their acceptance and crying etc in private. You feel so bloody useless though, eh?
Thanks again for the replies and apologies to dig up bad memories for some.
I never realised that it was such an aggressiver cancer, if that makes sense. She was diagnosed quite late (understandable reading the above) and it has already spread. What amazes me is that the couple have just accepted it. It's a little easier to understand given what I now know, and I guess they've done their acceptance and crying etc in private. You feel so bloody useless though, eh?
Thanks again for the replies and apologies to dig up bad memories for some.
I'll try my best, but I'm rubbish with words!
Regarding your friends 'just accepting it'....
I think they must know how evil this cancer is, and like with my mum and the others that have had it, it's a case of 'having' to accept it.
I'm no doctor but I believe this cancer does not have a success rate, you do not get over/through it.
I think once it's accepted, there's no point getting angry, saying why me, it's easier to deal with.
We all knew my mum wasn't going to get better so we all made her last time with her the best we could. We did lots of talking, talking about all the good times we had had.
It was only the last month, that my mum was actually to ill to be taken out and she was admitted to the local Macmillan hospice, which had beautiful surrounds and the staff were wonderful, so we were very lucky in that case.
Your friends are in my thoughts
Regarding your friends 'just accepting it'....
I think they must know how evil this cancer is, and like with my mum and the others that have had it, it's a case of 'having' to accept it.
I'm no doctor but I believe this cancer does not have a success rate, you do not get over/through it.
I think once it's accepted, there's no point getting angry, saying why me, it's easier to deal with.
We all knew my mum wasn't going to get better so we all made her last time with her the best we could. We did lots of talking, talking about all the good times we had had.
It was only the last month, that my mum was actually to ill to be taken out and she was admitted to the local Macmillan hospice, which had beautiful surrounds and the staff were wonderful, so we were very lucky in that case.
Your friends are in my thoughts
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