Help!!!! Questions!

My friends father was recently diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer and given 6 months to live from an oncologist at Sloan. 

Does anyone have any experience with Dr.Brennan?  Or Gemzar?

Any advice or input you could provide is greatly appreciated.

 

Thank you very much,

Francine 

Lets assume this is stage 4 and surgury is not an option.  Gemzar or Gemzar combinations are indicated and have made an impact on survival, but its still a terminal diagnosis.  Surgery is the best hope for any long term survival.

What are other treatment options?    Which combinations with Gemzar have proven most successful?  Are there other sites I could find more information for this?  Trial studies, etc?

The GTX combination has shown some promise.  This is Gemzar, Taxotere and Xeloda.  It is in clinical trials now.  A good site to look at is pancan.org for general info on pancreatic cancer.  For clinical trials look at clinicaltrials.gov.  Is surgery not an option?  Often its worth talking with several surgeons as some will tackle what others will not.  God bless your journey.

 

 

On 11/20/2007 Xoxfrancine333 wrote:

My friends father was recently diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer and given 6 months to live from an oncologist at Sloan. 

Does anyone have any experience with Dr.Brennan?  Or Gemzar?

Any advice or input you could provide is greatly appreciated.

 

Thank you very much,

Francine 

 

Dear Francine,

I am sorry to hear this news and can only share my experience with Gemzar.  I am 51, was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer in August.  Yes, it is inoperable and a devastating diagnosis.  However, I have been getting Gemzar since the 2nd week of August and my tumor markers have fallen from 532 to 31, 31 is within normal range.  The only additional thing I do is take capsaicin capsules every day. Please google cancer/capsaicin and read the studies.  Capsaicin is cayenne pepper and does no harm, yet is proving to be death to pancreatic tumors.  These studies are years away from human trials and with the lack of research money available for pancreatic cancer, I discussed it with my Doctor and started it.  Now, with my great results so far, people are not laughing any more about it.  The statistics are bad,but  a big part of survival is not falling down under the negativity of those numbers, and the well meaning comments of people and doctors who feel compelled to tell you that you are about to die.  I hope that your friend's father has inner strength and faith and will look into those studies, and pay close attention to his nutrition.  Every day is priceless to me, but so far, I am winning.

God Bless, Pat

My wife was diagnosed on 7/21/06. She was Stage Iv at diagnosis with pulmonary and liver mets. We went to Sloan and saw Dr. O'Rielly. She didn't give us a time frame. We finally began treatment with Robert Fine at Columbia Presbyterian. She went on the GTX regimen and she is still with us although on a second line protocol. Its been a difficult time although the GTX was relatively benign insofar as side effects were concerned. 6 mos sound like an unduly pessimistic prognosis. Get another opinion. Go on GTX. See Robert Fine or r. Schreibman at Morristown, or Dr. Howard Buckner. 12 mos. is better then 6 mos., and 16 mos.is better yet.

 

 

Dear Francine,

I am sorry to hear this news and can only share my experience with Gemzar.  I am 51, was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer in August.  Yes, it is inoperable and a devastating diagnosis.  However, I have been getting Gemzar since the 2nd week of August and my tumor markers have fallen from 532 to 31, 31 is within normal range.  The only additional thing I do is take capsaicin capsules every day. Please google cancer/capsaicin and read the studies.  Capsaicin is cayenne pepper and does no harm, yet is proving to be death to pancreatic tumors.  These studies are years away from human trials and with the lack of research money available for pancreatic cancer, I discussed it with my Doctor and started it.  Now, with my great results so far, people are not laughing any more about it.  The statistics are bad,but  a big part of survival is not falling down under the negativity of those numbers, and the well meaning comments of people and doctors who feel compelled to tell you that you are about to die.  I hope that your friend's father has inner strength and faith and will look into those studies, and pay close attention to his nutrition.  Every day is priceless to me, but so far, I am winning.

God Bless, Pat

Hi Pat,

 I was wondering what kind of side effects, if any, that you have had from Gemzar.

 My 83-year-old grandmother was diagnosed in April 07 with pancreatic cancer. She was completely healthy prior to this. She has been against any chemotherapy because of the side effects.

 We took her to a naturopath and he suggested an organic diet and many nutritional supplements, which she sustained for a few months faithfully. However, the latest CT showed that she has metastasis to her lungs, spine, and liver. This (understandably) has discouraged her to the point where she doesn't want to take anything she doesn't have to.

 She has a lot of pain in her arm, back, and shoulder blade. She is taking Vicoden and Duragesic patch for pain.

 Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Lei

 

On 11/25/2007 Kaneoheohana wrote:

Hello Lei,

I am truly sorry to hear of your grandmother's diiagnosis.  Bless her heart for her 87 years.  Gemzar is well tolerated.  I have been on it since August.  They give drugs to counter side effects, which help a great deal.  I get my treatments on Wednesdays, 3 weeks in a row, then 1 off.  by Friday I feel a little "Hungover" , tired mostly and  somethimes I feel queasy but no actual nausea.  I still have my hair, it is a little thinner.   The Gemzar burns when it is administered, but if they slow down the iv drip and put a warm compress on my arm, that stops.  I have been able to work throughout my treatments.  The medications make food taste bad, if you use plastic utensils that helps.  Because of all the medications I take, constipation was a problem early on, now I take colace every day and that has helped.  Sometimes my hands and feet get red and hot for short periods of time, it passes quickly and doesn't hurt.  It is from the Gemzar.

Overall, the side effects for me have been remarkably mild; I am mindful of the age difference between your grandmother and I.  But  among the other patients where I go, the side effects are similiar.

Your family must choose the path that feels right for your grandmother,  I will keep her in my prayers.

 Please keep me. informed if you have time,I hope that I've been of some help.

 Peace,

Pat 

 

 

Dear Francine,

I am sorry to hear this news and can only share my experience with Gemzar.  I am 51, was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer in August.  Yes, it is inoperable and a devastating diagnosis.  However, I have been getting Gemzar since the 2nd week of August and my tumor markers have fallen from 532 to 31, 31 is within normal range.  The only additional thing I do is take capsaicin capsules every day. Please google cancer/capsaicin and read the studies.  Capsaicin is cayenne pepper and does no harm, yet is proving to be death to pancreatic tumors.  These studies are years away from human trials and with the lack of research money available for pancreatic cancer, I discussed it with my Doctor and started it.  Now, with my great results so far, people are not laughing any more about it.  The statistics are bad,but  a big part of survival is not falling down under the negativity of those numbers, and the well meaning comments of people and doctors who feel compelled to tell you that you are about to die.  I hope that your friend's father has inner strength and faith and will look into those studies, and pay close attention to his nutrition.  Every day is priceless to me, but so far, I am winning.

God Bless, Pat

Hi Pat,

 I was wondering what kind of side effects, if any, that you have had from Gemzar.

 My 83-year-old grandmother was diagnosed in April 07 with pancreatic cancer. She was completely healthy prior to this. She has been against any chemotherapy because of the side effects.

 We took her to a naturopath and he suggested an organic diet and many nutritional supplements, which she sustained for a few months faithfully. However, the latest CT showed that she has metastasis to her lungs, spine, and liver. This (understandably) has discouraged her to the point where she doesn't want to take anything she doesn't have to.

 She has a lot of pain in her arm, back, and shoulder blade. She is taking Vicoden and Duragesic patch for pain.

 Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Lei

 

Dear Pat,

I have googled capsaicin and have found many interesting articles. However when searchin for supplements to buy I coud only find ointements. What brand  are you getting and under what name? Any on line store? It's really a great news that you respnding so well to treatments. Good luck!

Love,

 Maria

 

 

On 11/26/2007 Maryla wrote:

Dear Pat,

I have googled capsaicin and have found many interesting articles. However when searchin for supplements to buy I coud only find ointements. What brand  are you getting and under what name? Any on line store? It's really a great news that you respnding so well to treatments. Good luck!

Love,

 Maria

 

 

Hi Maria,

I buy NSI Cayenne Pepper, 600 mg capsules from vitacost.com.  It is 4.99 for 100 capsules and they ship fast.  Capsaicin is the ingredient in cayenne that makes it hot.  They also sell Nature's Way brand which is just as good.  I started with one at a time and worked my way up to 6 a day, just to be sure I wouldn't have any stomach or heartburn problems and I have not had any trouble at all.  I make sure my doctors know how much I am taking.

I am not out of the woods yet, I still have chemotherapy, but my tumor markers are down to 31, from 530 and that is remarkable. I intend to continue to take as much as I can tolerate.  In the studies, the tumors turned on themselves and died, doing no harm to healthy tissue...it's well worth the try! 

Best wishes to you, I would like to hear how you do with it if you try it.

Peace,

Pat