I Don't Think My Cousin Jan Is Getting What She Needs For Pancreatric Cancer

Hello everyone.
My cousin Jan was just diagonosed with pancreatic cancer. She was told it was inoperable. The tumor lays across the back of her pancreas like a sheet and is attatch to blood vessels and artery. She is recieving chemo (pillform) and radiation, she's a week into this. I don't understand why it's inoperable when so many others have worse where it's attatch to other organs and still is able to have the surgery. I work in a hospital and was told Jan needs a second opinon, but convincing Jan of that my be diffacult. Jan believes she's going to beat this. also Her oncologist said after treatment she will send her to binghamtom for the cyberknife procedeure. I just have this gut feeling that she not doing enough for Jan. I can't explain it, but every ounce of me says that she isn't treating this aggresively and that she is only keeping Jan comfortable. What should I do I'am so scared of lossing her and I'm not going to quit searching for help for her. It will be hard for me to convince Jan to get a second opinon she seems to have faith in he dr. I will take and advice or comment on this.

My husband is six weeks out of a whipple surgery that extensively involved some main arteries. We had been told nothing could be done and then went on to Vanderbilt Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville for a second opinion. There we were given hope by a tremendous surgeon that was very well known for his work with whipples where major arteries are concerned and he grafts. He removed all of my husband's cancer. We got shrinkage from the chemo radiation regimen and then he was able to do the whipple and graft on the artery. A SECOND OPINION IS ALWAYS ADVISABLE WHEN YOU ARE SPEAKING OF PANCREAS CANCER!!!! THE WHIPPLE IS THE ONLY CURE AND YOU MUST DO ALL YOU CAN TO GET YOUR LOVED ONE TO A FACILITY THAT DOES A HIGH VOLUME OF WHIPPLE SURGERIES AND SPEAK WITH A SURGEON THAT CAN GIVE YOU A SECOND OPINION!
The cancer may be in an inoperable state but you always want a second opinion. In our case it saved my husband's life. He is 48 years old. I will be praying for you and your loved one and that her mind will be open to a second opinion!

Oh Iam so happy to here of your great news. It gives me hope for Jan. I'm going to let Jan read this one. All of the other sites I've been on didn't leave much hope. Jan still isn't agreeing to a second opinion. I thind if I discuss this with her family they may be more convincing. It's almost as if she is afraid. I wonder if this is normal. You see this is the first I've had to deal with cancer so I don't know the up and downs of people inflicked with this horrible disease. On the other hand I do feel that her Dr. is only treating her to keep her comfortable. She hasn't even suggest trial programs. I to Jan to ask her Dr. about Gemzar, but she didn't do that either. I can tell you this Jan thinks she's going to beat this. I sometimes think I should just leave it alone, but am feeling if I don't do everything in my power to save her I'll live with regret the rest of my life. Jan is not only my cousin, but my best friend, my sister

Oh Iam so happy to here of your great news. It gives me hope for Jan. I'm going to let Jan read this one. All of the other sites I've been on didn't leave much hope. Jan still isn't agreeing to a second opinion. I thind if I discuss this with her family they may be more convincing. It's almost as if she is afraid. I wonder if this is normal. You see this is the first I've had to deal with cancer so I don't know the up and downs of people inflicked with this horrible disease. On the other hand I do feel that her Dr. is only treating her to keep her comfortable. She hasn't even suggest trial programs. I to Jan to ask her Dr. about Gemzar, but she didn't do that either. I can tell you this Jan thinks she's going to beat this. I sometimes think I should just leave it alone, but am feeling if I don't do everything in my power to save her I'll live with regret the rest of my life. Jan is not only my cousin, but my best friend, my sister

Cheryl,
I would also like for you to know that there are several trials out there. You have to qualify for these in terms of where your cancer is and how far it has progressed. I wanted to let you know we started in a trial but my husband had a reaction to the drug Erbitux and was unable to continue on in the trial. After much prayer, we began a regimine of 5FU w/radiation,Cisplatin and radiation therapy treatments once a day for 5 weeks and this is what shrunk the tumor enough away from the arteries for the surgeon to proceed with surgery. The chemos and radiation he was on were very heavy hitters and this was very agressive treatment but it has to be for pancreatic cancer. I think if you are close to any large cancer facility, I would get her there. Again, we chose Vanderbilt due to the surgeon and chemo oncologist and there success rates. MD Anderson is another good choice if it is closer. Jan has to be in good health prior to withstand this heavy hitting regimine but I would do all I could to get her somewhere else. We are praying for Jan and you and will keep you in our thoughts. God bless you!

HI, my mom who has the same cancer had the same attitude about not needing a second opinion. she was even debating about having the whipple procedure. I think the ones being sick tend to think more negatively about the outcome of the treatments and you have to sometimes be relentless about speaking to her. try to catch her on a good day or just when she's calm enough to listen. give the message in the positive way. second opinion is SOOOOOOO important. What you can also do is to get all her insurance information and test results copied. Submit them to MD Anderson and Sloane Kettering. Sloane is a non-profit cancer hospital and several friends of mine had great experiences with them.

Best of luck to both of you. Be strong and try to stay calm thru the process. i know it's almost impossible, but having goals like even just getting copies of her record helps you feel more in control and productive. go with your gut feeling too. you're doing great. Finally, I read an incredible article, The Median Isn't the Message by Stephen Jay Gould, while i first learned about my mom's condition. It helped me regain hope and face the reality. Please find it and share with Jen.

Love