Biopsies "Non Malignant"

First, I thank God I found this forum, thank you to everyone.

I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in November and am having chemo and radiotherapy to shrink the tumour and have surgery.  I have had a stent put in as I was jaundiced and totally obstructed even though the tumour is 3cm.  All the biopsies (10) have come back non malignant but the doctors are treating it as pancreatic cancer.  Has this happened to anyone else?

Pauline

Doctors told me if was possible, but very rare for tumors in the pancreas to be benign.  I'm assuming the results of non malignant are the same thing as  benign.  I had jaundice also which enabled an early diagnosis.  Had the surgery (Whipple) and first results of biopsy from surgery was benign.  The surgeon told me she still felt final results of the biopsy would show PC. This is the one that takes two weeks for final results.   She was right.  I had early stage PC, no involvement with lymph nodes or mets.

I think doctors must assume any tumors on Pancreas are PC, and they treat it aggressively.  Even if your situation ends up being non malignant  (which would be great news), the tumor still needs to come out as it is causing other problems.

Best wishes for your surgery and a good outcome. 

Pauline,

All my husband's biopsies were negative too but the surgeon still felt that it was cancerous.  Very often scar tissue forms around the tumor and the needles can't penetrate deeply enough to get a true sample.  Regardless it needs to come out. if you like your doctor listen to him but make sure that whoever does your surgery has done a lot of whipple procedures in the past.  You want someone whoe knows what they are doing preferably at a cancer center. 

My husband had his whipple on Nov. 1.  He was in the hospital for 6 days with no complications.  he is now on chemo because the tumor was malignant.  We didn't find out for 2 weeks after the surgery.

Good Luck

Dear Pauline,

     I too have pancreatic tumors.  I had a biopsy  taken and the results were good.  We proceeded with surgery to remove the tumor and much to my suprise it turned out to be cancerous.  At this point the doctor needed to reevaluate his gameplan.  I know he wasn't prepared for what he saw during the surgery. 

     I have since had drug treatments to shrink the tumors and more surgery to fix the problem.  I still have tumors but I have extended my life seven years by playing "tag" with the cancer.  Best of luck in your fight.

Dog Lover