Can a person survive pancreatic cancer?

On Aug 03, 2004 12:00 AM Russell wrote:

I am a pancreatic cancer survivor. I was diagnosed, (at age 56), and operated on in November 2000. They removed 40% of my pancreas, my entire spleen, a slice of my kidney, and 5 lymph nodes. Fortunately for me the cancer only spread to the first lymph node...the others were clear. After surgery...I had 24 hour infusion of chemo, (5fu), for 5 weeks, and radiation 5 days a week during the same 5 weeks. It was devastating!! The second go around of chemo was gemzar for 9 weeks...one day a week. My last chemo treatment was May 29, 2001. I continue to have blood work done every 90 days, and cat scans are done every 6 months. It has been 3 years/ 9 months, and I continue to be cancer free. YES...pancreatic cancer can be cured!!!! Tell your husband to fight this horrible disease as hard as he can...and to keep the faith. Russ

Russ I hope you are atill doing good after the treatment and cancer free. It is very encouraging. My borther who is dionised with the pancreatic cancer in nov of 2010. Had serveral chemo treatments and also gone through radiation. But he is still not operable because of portal veins. almost after 2years he was doing very well with the treatment and but now iot has spread to abdomn and has fluid. He is being treated at the MD Anderson hospital. Now Drs are saying they have tried all the treatment they have available to them,but now its not working. they have sent him to trial phaze 1 and today he has an appointment  with the oncologist. Can you suggest anything else. He is also trying herbal medicine by famous Indian Dr Pankaj naram. He has been telling him that it will be controlled and reduce the tumor but he cant keep food in his stomach

Thanks for the info    

On Oct 19, 2012 8:23 PM sm0lts wrote:

On Sep 04, 2002 12:00 AM David_H_1 wrote:

Are there any new treatments or developments in the treatment of this type of cancer? I have a close relative who has just been diagnosed with this type of cancer.

I would like to second your request...I have PC myslef, and although I am blessed to be in remission right now, I have no idea what I should do if it recurs.

 

Someone out there: do you know of anything beyond Gemzar+radiation or metronomic infusions of 5FU/Taxol/oxaliplatin?

I'm coming up on 2 years being diagnosed with pc. I've had 5FU, then Gemzar. Tumors grew. So back to 5FU. Tumors grew again. Now I'm on Gemzar/Abrazane. Tumor marker went down a 100 points. I'll be getting a CT on the 27th to see how this new stuff is working. It's been a roller coaster ride with the ups and downs. I try to enjoy each day and don't dwell on the cancer. Cancer can't ruin my day.

On Nov 16, 2012 4:00 AM Harts wrote:

On Oct 19, 2012 8:23 PM sm0lts wrote:

On Sep 04, 2002 12:00 AM David_H_1 wrote:

Are there any new treatments or developments in the treatment of this type of cancer? I have a close relative who has just been diagnosed with this type of cancer.

I would like to second your request...I have PC myslef, and although I am blessed to be in remission right now, I have no idea what I should do if it recurs.

 

Someone out there: do you know of anything beyond Gemzar+radiation or metronomic infusions of 5FU/Taxol/oxaliplatin?

I'm coming up on 2 years being diagnosed with pc. I've had 5FU, then Gemzar. Tumors grew. So back to 5FU. Tumors grew again. Now I'm on Gemzar/Abrazane. Tumor marker went down a 100 points. I'll be getting a CT on the 27th to see how this new stuff is working. It's been a roller coaster ride with the ups and downs. I try to enjoy each day and don't dwell on the cancer. Cancer can't ruin my day.

First, what should we call each other, those of us who have PC but somehow continue to live?  The "fortunate?"  Because we well know just how fortunate we are to celebrate the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th year post-diagnosis.

I know of nothing actually on the shelf beyond Gemzar+radiation and metronomic Taxol/5FU/oxaliplatin.  I continue to hear tantalizing tidbits about vaccines against kRas (sp?) signalling proteins, including some actual clinical trials, but I have yet to see any results.  I have the feeling that we are not far from a break-through on one front or another: anti-angiogenic, immunological, anti-metastatic.  But who knows how far away these break-throughs may be?

Meanwhile we fortunates must do our damned utmost to show the proper respect for the gift we've been given.   Resist that fear!  Don't be afraid to let yourself enjoy the moment!  Take advantage of your position on the edge of the world to do the few real and good things it is our priviledge to be able to see.

And keep an eye onhttp://pancan.org/ .  If anything real should happen, I suspect we'll hear about it first on pancan.

Namaste 

p.s.  here's some interesting reading:http://bookboon.com/en/textbooks/healthcare-science/introduc

Linda, what an incredible story!  So interesting, because every doctor we have corresponded with has said no to anything like this and was even laighed at when we originally took dad for a Whipple and were turned down to to liver metastases.  I came up with some big plans - liver resection (doc: nope, tumors will keep popping up), liver transplant (doc: nope, you can't get on the transplant list), whipple and treat livr w/chemo (nope, we don't do that).  So this is REFRESHING to say the least!!!  I wouold definitely like more info from you on your procedure health now and so forth, if you are willing to share.

My dad was dx w/stage 4 pancreatic cancer in April 2012.  To date we have tried Gemzar (discontinued due to rare lung reaction), 5FU/Oxalyplatin (discontinued due to GI reaction), and currentoy on Abraxane solo....tumor counts are decreasing, down from 12000+ to under 6000 in 3 weeks of tx.  We fight for Hope daily and are currently working towards the CTCA for some outside-the-box-thinkers that wont turn us away and actually help, versus the dreaded "there is nothing to be done".

Elizabeth - congrats to you and your fiance!  So exciting to be CA FREE!!!!!!!!  Who/what clinic does your fiance go to and how have they helped you on your jouney?  What was the last chemo you completed? 

Lesley - tell your husband to keep up the fight.  We were only given "months" when first diagnosed and wouldn't take that as an answer.  The hospital even had the audacity to have hospice call my mother right after diagnosis, even though we were asking to fight.  Ugh.  Anyhow, dad is currently on a one week break from Abraxane.  Also, I read a thread on here about a lady in Florida who had same stage 4 diagnosis with liver mets and she received Nanoknife to the larger liver tumors, resection of the liver and the Whipple precedure to remove the original Pancreatic tumor.  So....tomorrow morning the hospital in FL wioll get to hear from me.  Im so excited, yet I know how many times I have bee turned down in person and on the phone, so I also know they may not agree to anything.  I figure if just one person listens to me and helps me I am good. 

Good luck to you and your husband.  I will let you know what I find out.

On Jan 27, 2013 6:52 PM megomego wrote:

Lesley - tell your husband to keep up the fight.  We were only given "months" when first diagnosed and wouldn't take that as an answer.  The hospital even had the audacity to have hospice call my mother right after diagnosis, even though we were asking to fight.  Ugh.  Anyhow, dad is currently on a one week break from Abraxane.  Also, I read a thread on here about a lady in Florida who had same stage 4 diagnosis with liver mets and she received Nanoknife to the larger liver tumors, resection of the liver and the Whipple precedure to remove the original Pancreatic tumor.  So....tomorrow morning the hospital in FL wioll get to hear from me.  Im so excited, yet I know how many times I have bee turned down in person and on the phone, so I also know they may not agree to anything.  I figure if just one person listens to me and helps me I am good. 

Good luck to you and your husband.  I will let you know what I find out.

Hi folks,

I have written to this message thread several times before. I want to continue to do so if only to let others know there ARE people who survive PC for a good long time. I'm on my third year now and, except for some damage to the pancreas associated with very aggressive radiation, I'm fine.  I haven't had any chemo of any kind for two years.  And though my tumor is inoperable and still sits there on the head of the pancreas, it's not doing anything.  So, even without a Whipple or sugery of any kind, I've made it three years and counting on nothing but Gemzar, (a lot of ) radiation...and a ton of meditation, walking, eating right, and supplements.