PreCancer

I have been on cancer compass for five years as a patient/survivor of tonsil cancer; however, my best friend since 4th grade was told today that she has pre-cancer.  They biopsied three places last Wed - one in the stomach, one the tip of the pancreas, and not sure where the third was.  She received a call today telling her that the pancreas biopsy showed pre-cancer and for her to come back for a checkup in one year - that her numbers weren't high enough to be concerned with at this time. 

I went through treatment with someone whose high numbers went awry - and it was discovered too late.  I don't want to see this happen to my best friend and when I suggested she go for a second opinion her response was that she was done for now - no second opinions.  She had twin brothers 3 years younger and just lost one this past July to cancer.  Her mother has been deteriorating rapidly since losing her son so my friend has a lot on her plate right now.  Anyone have any feedback as to what the numbers should be and any other info?

Diana     

You have got to convince her to get a second opinion at a large teaching hospital.  I suggest Johns Hopkins as they are in the top 3 for pc.  She needs to read up on pc and check out the survival rates if the cancer is found early and hopefully that will scare her into getting a second opinion. My mom would have loved to have the opportunity to catch this at the "pre-cancer" stage but was not given that luxury and she is currently battling it...  Sounds like she does have a lot going on but if she does not address it and it grows into something worse she will be dealing with a lot more. 

Thank you so much for your response.  I live in FL and she in IL but I am currently visiting her because I wanted to be here when she got her results.  She dropped everything and came to stay with me during my own treatment five years ago.  What I am most concerned about is the one year delay.  I'm hoping for a few responses like yours that I can show her from people who are battling pancreatic cancer or a loved one is.  I know that chances of beating any type of cancer is better if caught early but I was only one person saying it.  I know that cancer cells grow rapidly - I just don't know how quickly pre-cancer cells can become cancerous ones.   

Diana       

Granted I’m not a doctor but if I were her I would be finding that 2ndopinion ASAP. They might not want to address it now IF the biopsy came back neuroendocrine, but I would want someone like Johns Hopkins orSloanKetteringHospitalto tell me that… If it is an adenocarcinoma tumor, no way they would sit on it.  She can go to the link below and read how people struggle to live, fight through chemo, look for ways to ease the pain, all because theirs was not caught early. Hope this helps, so glad to hear you won your battle with your cancer and best of luck to your friend and praying she makes the right decision! 

http://pathology.jhu.edu/PANCREAS_CHAT/

On Oct 31, 2012 3:50 PM tlbschwab wrote:

Granted I’m not a doctor but if I were her I would be finding that 2ndopinion ASAP. They might not want to address it now IF the biopsy came back neuroendocrine, but I would want someone like Johns Hopkins orSloanKetteringHospitalto tell me that… If it is an adenocarcinoma tumor, no way they would sit on it.  She can go to the link below and read how people struggle to live, fight through chemo, look for ways to ease the pain, all because theirs was not caught early. Hope this helps, so glad to hear you won your battle with your cancer and best of luck to your friend and praying she makes the right decision! 

http://pathology.jhu.edu/PANCREAS_CHAT/ "" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://pathology.jhu.edu/PANCREAS_CHAT/ " target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://pathology.jhu.edu/PANCREAS_CHAT/

Please do tell her to get a second opinion, I am in the fight of my life like so many other people on this forum, I was dioxnosed September 2011, on folfirinox, I have had good results but each and every day is a bonus to me, my advice she should get help as soon as possible.

Congratulations on beating cancer and good luck to you and your friend. Sheann

On Oct 31, 2012 3:21 AM Dlynn1210 wrote:

I have been on cancer compass for five years as a patient/survivor of tonsil cancer; however, my best friend since 4th grade was told today that she has pre-cancer.  They biopsied three places last Wed - one in the stomach, one the tip of the pancreas, and not sure where the third was.  She received a call today telling her that the pancreas biopsy showed pre-cancer and for her to come back for a checkup in one year - that her numbers weren't high enough to be concerned with at this time. 

I went through treatment with someone whose high numbers went awry - and it was discovered too late.  I don't want to see this happen to my best friend and when I suggested she go for a second opinion her response was that she was done for now - no second opinions.  She had twin brothers 3 years younger and just lost one this past July to cancer.  Her mother has been deteriorating rapidly since losing her son so my friend has a lot on her plate right now.  Anyone have any feedback as to what the numbers should be and any other info?

Diana     

I am also not a doctor but I just had a distal pancreatecomy earlier this month for a benign tumor on the tail of the pancreas. The doctor informed me that those types of tumors start out benign but can turn sometimes very quickly. Once the tumor was found, I had the surgery within 2 months. Pancreatic cancer is very serious and can be deadly. She should have a second opinion as soon as possible. A check up in one year maybe to late especially since she has lost one sibbling to cancer.

I lost my mom last year to cancer so when I was informed of my tumor, I had no hesitancy about the surgery. 

That is just my opinion, but I'm still around to give one.

Second opinion is is order. Hopkins or the University of Maryland Baltimore Hospital. They both are well learned in Pancreatic cancer and pre-cancer and have protocol they follow. To WAIT is to possibly wind up being too late. I am a precancer surviver, and went to the UofMd. I would suggest strongly a second opinion. Better that than really bad news down the road. This cancer just doesn't follow what most the other cancers do. It decides in one second to spread like wild fire, it does. Sounds like she is not wanting to face what could be a rough road, but it's one worth taking. She does have a lot on her plate; however the plate might get fuller if she doesn't get under the right treatment. The UofMD has a protocol to do what they can to make sure her pre-cancer doesn't turn into full fledged cancer. She needs help while there is still time. I will pray for this situation Diana. God Bless!

My mom died from pancreatic cancer over twenty yrs. ago within 2months of diagnosis. She'd had vague symptoms weight loss, fatigue, loss of appetite for months prior. She was scheduled for a diagnostic laparoscopy and the night before , a nurse noted an umbilical lump. When they decided to open her up CA of the head of the pancreas was discovered. Much too late. Recently I've had the same symptoms. Loss of weight without trying, loss of appetite, occasional bouts of nausea, an episode of vomiting. I came to this site while searching for information. I agree with the other posters. Do whatever it takes to get your friend to agree to a second opinion. This cancer is most difficult to detect, and the survival rate is negligible. She's fortunate to have such a caring friend. Ines

My mom died from pancreatic cancer over twenty yrs. ago within 2months of diagnosis. She'd had vague symptoms weight loss, fatigue, loss of appetite for months prior. She was scheduled for a diagnostic laparoscopy and the night before , a nurse noted an umbilical lump. When they decided to open her up CA of the head of the pancreas was discovered. Much too late. Recently I've had the same symptoms. Loss of weight without trying, loss of appetite, occasional bouts of nausea, an episode of vomiting. I came to this site while searching for information. I agree with the other posters. Do whatever it takes to get your friend to agree to a second opinion. This cancer is most difficult to detect, and the survival rate is negligible. She's fortunate to have such a caring friend. Ines

Yes, a second opinion is always so important! Inesmillgen, I hope that you have had your situation checked out. It is so important to catch this early. I had a large pre-cancer tumor on my pancreas that covered 60% of the pancreas. It was the kind that would have turned into full-blown cancer so quickly and I was just so sick, and wasted time with 3 gastro docs, who just weren't doing what they should have to find out what the issue was. Fortunately, I was seeing a Naturopath, and believe it or not, she is the one who told me I had a tumor. I went to my cardiologist, who encouraged me to go to the UofMD Hospital in Baltimore, and find a good surgeon. I did. He did a CAT scan and there it was big as day! They did the Whipple Procedure. Unfortunately, my spleen ruptured 5 days later and I lost blood so rapidly, I went into cardiac arrest. When they found me, I was gone, but they intubated me and started CPR and rushed me to surgery with the Shock Trauma Team. I lived, even though I lost 8 pints of blood, and it was a long haul back to getting out of the hospital, after being on the respirator for a month, and having several other surgeries for the bleeding. 19 months later, I had an incisional hernia surgery, and I have a very large deep abdominal hernia again 6 months later, with pertrusion of my large and small bowel. I see the surgeon on the 12th. Tomorrow (because they did a CAT scan of my abdomen, and found some nodules and other questionable things in my lower lungs by accident) I'm to have another CAT scan of my lungs. I'm a bit shakey, as they are questioning if this is cancer that has spread from the Pancreas to the lungs. You just never know, and even though it might sound strange, I'm not fearful, as when I went into cardiac arrest over 2 years ago, I experienced a near death scenario. Whatever it is, it is, and since it is out of my control, I have to do my best to roll with what unfolds. We are here on earth in our human bodies for such a short time, and one day we will all leave to go on to the next realm. That holds no fear for me. What does, is what I have to suffer to get to that next realm. That I don't want to do. I pray that wisdom will be there in decisions that have to be made for you and for others.Hugs .......