pancreatic cancer

My Mom died from pancreatic cancer. This disease is in the top 5 deadliest of cancers- pancreatic is the deadliest.
Why? Because the symptoms mimic other less serious diseases such as: ulcer-gastral pain, low back pain. It is a horrible disease. jaundice is not something that is experienced until the end when the disease has almost killed you. the jaundice is from blocked bile ducts in the liver. This cancer does not show up in the blood until it has already done its damage. Also, it depends on the cell structure of the cancer. My Mom had an angeocarcinoma- deadly cell that spread to her liver.  

By the way it really doesnt seem to matter when the disease is diagnosed. If you have angicarcinoma, whipple procedure is useless because it will just spread some place else. Pancreatic cancer is a death sentence.
Its amazing how this disease is killing almost as many people as breast cancer is killing women and yet very little is being done to deal with it.

We went through hell. We watched my Mom die a horrible death. Nothing could be done. She was 58. We miss her dearly.

Lj


This discussion is related to Pancreatic Cancer.

[Morecambe]

Hi - I am really sorry to read about your Mum's sad situation.  I have a dear relative in Australia also afflicted with pancreatic cancer and the outlook is very bleak.

Maybe the following comments will help others who are reading this posting and whose pancreatic cancer is still treatable surgically:-

there is a recently developed technique whereby the spread of the cancer can be halted (or greatly reduced) by excision of the portal vein and replacement of the removed part with a section of the jugular vein transplanted.  A description is listed on the website of The Royal Free Hospital, London :-  www.royalfree.nhs.uk.  Type into the search box "pancreatic cancer" and scroll down to the listing that is entitled "pancreatic cancer hope".

If any readers - or family and friends - are suffering from pancreatic cancer then perhaps it is worth mentioning this to your consultant in case they are not aware of this new technique.  

Even if it saves just one life ..........

Morecambe

[Laurie20081974]

Wow!!! Finally a treatment that might hold some hope..

thank you for the condolences.

[lola7788]

hello.. i know this post was from a while ago but I am hoping to get a response. I just read your post and it struck a cord. My mother is 56, and for 3 months now has been having bad diarrhea. Not to get gross, but lets just say it is loose and comes out of nowhere. She went for a colonoscopy, had her stool tested and the dr tells her it is colitis. We all are having problems believing this because she has no symptoms of colitis other than leaky stools. She also now found out she is vitamin D deficient, probably from the diarrhea but maybe not? Who knows. Anyways my grandmother, her mother, passed away a few years ago form pancreatic. She was sick with diarrhea and stomach pain for 18 months before we found out, and died nine months later. I am just wondering what your mothers, and others symptoms are more specifically. My mom now has somewhat of a jaundice appearance in her eyes, which makes me worry because I know as far as pancreatic is concerned it means its spread. This literally came out of no where and we are trying to find a solution. Also, do you know of any test that can be used to rule out pancreatic.

Thanks.

[Morecambe]

I believe that a tumour on the pancreas (or close-by) can ususally be identified by imaging (CT, MRI, ultrasound etc etc).  I suggest that you ask your doctor "how do you know that it is not pancreatic cancer - especially as there is a family history?"

regards
Morecambe