Bile Duct Cancer

[Betti]

My father has cancer of the bile duct. According to a CAT scan they can not operate because it has spread to the liver and is blocking two of the main blood vessels and touching the other. Apparently a MRI will not reveal anything new, also it is a 6month wait in Ontario to get one. Is it worth paying for one in the states to ensure operation is not possible.
Also chemotherapy is not an option because he is still very jaundice. In the US radiation seems to be the treatment of choice, however none of the doctors are suggesting it in Canada.
Please help!

[Beaker]

I guess it would not hurt to get a second opinion but is your father up to traveling?  Since socialized medicine puts people on the back burner, I am sure the doctors there would be honest enough with you to say if getting another opinion in the states would be warranted.  The cost of medicine in the states is ridiculous with insurance, non-the-less, without.  I know you like to get your father the help he needs, but if it is end stage, it would be horrible to put your father through more agony.  The doctors there are keeping him comfortable,right?  Have you asked him what he would like?  I wish I had something wonderful to tell you, but in situations like these, the best you can do is to spend time with your father.  Make his time with you something to remember for the rest of your life.  Please let us know how things are going.  God Bless!

[jn921]

my mother was diagnosed with bile duct cancer in december 2000. we were told that it was very rare and had no cure. they said you couldn't line up a hundred people who have it. drs. also would not do any further surgery on my mother, it was found when they thought they were removing a large gallstone. she started chemotherapy, but was told immediately that it was not a cure, that it would only prolong her life. they gave her 3 to 6 months to live even with chemo. i do not know what stage your father is in, but the earlier the better for longer life. when it spread to her liver however, they tried to unblock it because she was very jaundice, but there were too many tumors to get to it. she never went home again . she was in the hospital for 4 weeks before she died on october 3, 2001. she seemed really good for a while and then it really got bad in august. i am sorry if this is painful to read but the drs. we talked to seemed to not want to do anything else to help her they said there were no experimetnal drugs of any kind. however i have heard that part of the bile duct can be removed, but if it is in your fathers liver it is probably not good.