Oh, no offense taken. I was exactly where you are 5 months ago. Every word you spoke in the above post could have come from my own mouth because I agree with you and your level of frustration. I literally spent 5 months in front of the computer and on the phone trying to find the answer. I researched the Gerson Therapy, Essiac Tea, The Budwig Diet and fed her organic vegetable juice every single day. I spoke to the people in Arizona about their target therapy based on someone's DNA and I had her on a list at the JHMI for their advanced statge pancreatic cancer vaccine. (Which, by the way, sounds very promising.) I have stacks and stacks of research paper still, to this day, laying around my house. In the end, it was not meant to be, for my mother to be the miracle patient. But please do not misunderstand, miracles DO happen and they can happen to anyone. I know it is hard but you must keep the faith. Even though, in the end, I was not able to save my mother I have no regrets. I literally ran myself ragged tying.
My mother was diagnosed 28 days after her retirement. At 68 years young she was told she had a 2.5 cm mass in the head of her pancreas and "lesions" on her liver. The first doctor she met with told her she had 3-6 months to live. She died just a few days shy of 5 months. She did not drink or smoke. She ate well and exercised regularly. To say this diagnosis was a major kick in the teeth would be a tremendous understatement. She had 9 weeks of Gemzar, and Avastin was added about 1/2 way thru the treatments. She tolerated treatment well. Her oncologist was pleased with her overall health up until the middle of January. Her liver function began to deteriorate and she had to be hospitalized where a stent was put in one of her bile ducts. They expected her to bounce back, but she did not. A second CT scan was done on 01/05/07 and (remarkably) the tumor was no longer visible in the pancreas but the liver had become more involved. Her oncologist was not encouraged, which was hard to understand. Afterall, the tumor in the pancreas was gone! But as time went on it became clear that her liver was going to be the problem. She got weaker and weaker, eventually refusing food. I begged her to eat. I tried to spoon feed her. There was nothing more I could do. She slipped away peacefully on 02/23/07 in the Hospice unit of our local hospital. I wonder if I will ever feel happy or lucky again. My mother was my best friend. I told her that many times, even before she became ill. I know time helps to heal the wounds, but right now I am angry, and wondering, like you...why can't we (as a nation spending millions on research) figure this out?! That is why I am so interested in the donation of diseased organs. It is believed that if enough of this type of reasearch is done that, eventually, a screening and early detection tool can be found.
But even after all this, I do believe in the Essiac Tea and absolutely do not dismiss any other alternative therapy. There is tons and tons of supporting documentation on the tea. And there are plenty of survivors out there. You can read their stories on the PANCAN web site. That particular site gave me hope when I needed it the most. Again, good luck to you and your loved ones. I will be thinking of you.