Distal Pancreactomy Risks of reccurence?

Thanks for replies. Twin brother,I , and support team/friends are now 95% pro surgery. Will take out 80% pancreas with adenocarcenoma cancer tumor on body and tail. DX 12/2008. 9 cycles of gemzar with Xeloda(fu5) at 1st week of cycle. Little side effects. Twin is 58 ( so am I, duh) Good general health. Tumor size ( per 4 CT scans, plus dbl spiral CT scan plus PET scan) is stable= same size or possible smaller. Seems liver and nodes are clear thus Stage is III with T4N0M0 . No raditation was done. OUR concern is this ==> With Distal Pan surgery they take the bulk of the tumor out, plus spleen and others.

IF THE DOC LEAVES A CELL OR TWO OF CANCER WILL IT COME BACK WITH A VENGENCE ??

The surgeon is great and skilled but not really a ''cancer surgeon'' thus doing the surgery is good to get cancer out but puts body in weakened state open to bad cancer cells jumping back in. I am aware that we are most likely over anylising this ( or is that anal-ising?) all this ...It is proving hard to get full stats on survival and quality of life post op. It is planned to leave some gold markers in place around the stump of the pancreas for possible use by 'cyber knife' or gamma or radiation procedure. ( so far not know much about radiaton oncology...see future posts???) This surgery will go forward as soon as last week of August= soon. As I say seems the surgery itself , the concept and mechanics of it are great, clear, and while big deal, pretty 'safe'. IT is just the risk of recurrence seems bit unknown...maybe that is a given anyway. Question is if no surgery is quality of life better and or longer survival on just Chemo or radiation. Sort gets philisophical seems. Thanks.

If anything is left behind, it will come back with a vengeance.  That's why it is so important to have the best cancer surgeon at a major hospital do the surgery.  Also, if it is cancer, follow up with chemo and/or radiation is given afterwards as adjuvant therapy.  My husband had adenocarcinoma in the head of the pancreas, had a Whipple April 29, and is now doing his chemo/radiation.  We can just keep our fingers crossed that it will not return.  PC is a beast!  Follow up might be different with a distal, but it might be a good idea to get a second opinion from a pancreatic cancer specialist.  You can call PANCAN for a list in your area.

Hi, My girlfriend had a Distal Pancreatectomy with a diagnosis of adenocarcinoma stage II.  About half the pancreas was removed. Spleen was left in tact.  There was an unclear margin and two of the fourteen lymph nodes sampled were positive.  Post surgery she had a 6 week course of Gemzar, followed by 6 weeks of 5FU and radiation, followed by 6 weeks of Gemzar.  It is fourteen months later and her quarterly ct scans  show no new tumor growth.  Her CA-19 is not zero and does fluctuate some.  It is down around 30.  Docs don't seem concerned about it.  Since by itself is not definitive.  She is feeling good most days although the radiation treatments did cause stomach ulcers and she will probably have chronic gastritis.  She has been able go to work or work from home through most of this last year and remains hopeful that she will out run this disease.  Her surgery and followup treatment were done at NYU and it has been a very hopeful, and positive experience.  We cannot say enough about how well cared for she has been.  There have been bumps in the road but she moves forward unconcerned about recurrance since that is not something she can control and refuses to worry until she has a reason to.  She is really an inspiration and I think proves that attitude has a lot to do with how well you do with this type of deadly disease.  Good luck to you.  We will keep you in our prayers.  PS.  We have met other survivors of distal pancreatectomy through the PanCan organization and through the Columbia University Hospital Pancreatic Center.  One man was at 7 years and counting.     So there is hope.

thanks so much for your message and story of your spirited Gal.  How old is she please. My brother is 58 and also has good strong attitude. Pretty scary operation but could be curative/ Sto worth a try. Brogan in seattle

also can I ask you about her recovery from the operation. Just a few days in ICU? Was it all laproscopy or  open surgery.

How long in hospital after.op

Drains put in to get rid of fluid? 

JP Tube thing?  

How did she feel a couple months out and how many visits appts with docs post op? My brother must travel OAK to LAX to see doc at USC.

Other tips like exercise= walking after operation aides healing. thanks again Brogan in Seattle