THE JOHNS HOPKINS MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS
Pancreas Cancer Web

JAN(VT)


Hello, Unfortunately I find myself here. Thanks to Richard Philibin for giving me this cite, testifying in Montpelier, and meeting my mom and me at Hitchcock while she had her pet scan. My beautiful mother, age 67, was dx 4/8/05 with adenocarcinoma on the head of her pancreas, 3.7 x 3.6cm, encasing the portal vein with at least 5 liver metastases, small..but visible. Her symptions were 'irritable bowel syndrome' for a year. Wrong. Other than that she had been active, healthy, regular mammograms, colonoscopies, and determined to enkoy her grandchildren...This is a huge shock. The doctor who did the endoscopy told me in a 3 minute conversation that it is inoperable, incurable and that chemo would be a palliative option, if she chose it...with a survival estimated at 6mos to 1year. We thought she had a stomach ache. Our first opininion yesterday at the onc Julie Olin in Burlington Vermont is GEM/OX. Another reasonable choice said was gem alone. She said that she did not use gtx much because it is too hard to tolerate. She mentioned a clinical trial using gemcytobine and avastin. We have a second opinion 5/4 at Darmouth Hitcock with Dr. Pipas and Dr. Barth (the doctor who did Richard's whipple). We have a third opinion, which seems like overkill at this point at Jhopkins because my sister lives there. It seems that surgery is not going to be on option. My mother does not know if she wants to do anything...and if she does she doesn't want to be knocked out for her last days? We have just finally told our family about her dx, which has been a huge step because she is the queenpin in our family, caretaker of my 74 year old dad with early parkinsons, and caretaker of her 93 year old mother who still lives alone. Questions: Is there anyone with this same profile and how are you doing? Has there been any reasonable success with aggressive chemo vs palliative that we can cling to for hope.....walking the line between hope and reality is a hard one....Stage 4....can this beast be kept at bay? Our onc. had said it is a detriment to watch the 'markers' and implied I am spending too much time on the internet. Is watching markers wothwhile?? What is involved with a liver stent? What should I watch for with my mother that can help the most medically???? Thank you. Jan

Posted 04/28/2005 07:36 pm by jJan(Vt)
E-mail Address: Bernasconi@aol.com

Return to Main Message List
Responses

No replies on file.

*DISCLAIMER: This page is an unmoderated forum, and the opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the viewpoint of The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions. Patients are advised to consult their personal physicians before making any medical decisions.
FULL DISCLAIMER
Pancreas Home | Surgical | Medical | Basic Sci | Docs | Registry | FAQ | Appts | Chat
Feedback | Pathology Home | Oncology Center Home
Copyright © 2022 The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
Last Modified: 11/11/2002 10:50 am