3.5 year post whipple Pancreatic Cancer survivor issues

Hello, my wife has been battling pancreatic cancer (metastasized) for 3.5 years now. She has had the whipple, radiation and been doing chemo cocktails of all different varieties.  Thanks to an embolization her organs are now clear. Over the last month she has started having issues of being sick (vomiting). We took a vacation trip via airlines early August 2011 and that is when it started. She took a vacation from treatment for the month of August. Early Sept. she had a CT scan and it showed 1 new tumor behind uterus and increase in size of tumors in her abdomen. Her digestive issues have now gotten to the point that she cannot eat or she will experience major back pain, lower left side, and eventually she will vomit, (all green liquid), BM's are pretty much none existent. She asked her oncologist and they see no bowel obstruction, but do see a small amount of colon narrowing. We have been trying to help with easily digestible foods but that does not seem to help.The Oncologist has started a new chemo cocktail and gave her enzymes, and a scrip for digestive issues, (don't have the name with me), hoping this will help. I am now to a point of needing next step recommendations or advice. She has lost a lot of weight and has very little energy, which is understood, I am afraid she is going to get too weak to continue fighting. I am not sure of what medical advice to seek. Does she need to see a Gastro. Dr. or other Dr.?, does she need to go to urgent care, or emergency? Do we wait and see if chemo helps? Thanks in advance.

[S. Kaul, MD]

Hi there!

She should ideally be under the care of an oncologist and a gastroenterologist. However if she develops acute/ all of a sudden symptoms, you may consider a visit to the ER where she can have an evaluation by the specialists as well.
Hope this helps.

Take care!