What is Pancreatic Cancer
Pancreatic cancer (also called cancer of the pancreas) is represented by the growth of a malignant tumour within the small pancreas organ. Each year about 31,000 individuals in the...
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Dad dx'd with pancreatic cancer
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My dad was diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer on September 28, 2009. I think I must be in denial. I keep hoping to wake up and it all have been a bad dream. I can't imagine life without him. He has been given a life expectancy of 8 months. I have been researching the disease, but have some questions that I hope maybe some of you could help me with.
They say my dad is stage III, but he is experiencing no pain, no jaundice, no outward symptoms except for a 68 lb weight loss over the course of the last 8 months. Is this normal? If he were truly stage III and had less than a year to live wouldn't he be experiencing other symptoms? Thanks for any help and prayers. Posted on 10/21/09, 01:10 am |
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Is it the weight loss that had them test him so thoroughly? It's usually severe pain (sometimes back or chest, not always abdominal) or signs of jaundice that gets them diagnosed. Sounds like it's really early - I have to admit that I'm not up on the staging, but perhaps it hasn't metastasized as yet and there is hope beyond the 8 months?
I think you do have a lot of questions to ask and research to do. It could be that there are effective treatments (see what others say here about the Whipple procedure, if he's a candidate) that will arrest or even cure the disease. Is it inoperable? The disease isn't necessarily incurable unless it's spread to other organs or can't be operated on/treated successfully. Good luck to you. I really hope that there are treatments for your dad and you have a lot longer to look forward to being together than 8 months. Keep in mind, too, that they're just giving you a statistical average. Many doctors won't even give life expectancies any more because some patients are quite suggestible and shut down at that point. But there are those in whom it hasn't advanced yet who live longer than 8 months or even a year. All the best to you and your family. (And yes, denial and "why us?" seem to be typical initial reactions to this news.) 
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My husband had 8 months to a year but lived 14 weeks. It all depends on where it is on the pancreas and if it is in other places. My husbands was a stage 2 but it was around his celic artery. It started causing his liver to shrink causing verices in his stomach and esophacus. These ruptured and caused him to bleed. that is what caused him to go to be with Jesus. How old is your dad and where is it at on the pancreas. My husband's was no where else. My dad has it and is living longer because it is in the body of the pancreas.
My prayers are with you. If you have any questions feel free to ask. I hate these cancer!!!!!!!!!!1 Christine
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