I am new to this site and looking for any information on duodenal cancer.
My mum is 55yrs old and started being sick on the 1st Aug 2006 and suffered from heartburn.After not being able to keep food down for over a month and alot of trips to her doctor she was sent to see a consultant at York District Hospital in England near to where she lives.Finally after three months of her being sick and losing over 2 stone in weight the consultant diagnosed duodenal cancer.She was then admitted into hospital for a whipples operation but had to have a food drip for two weeks before the consultant would operate.While in theatre the consultant found the cancer had spread to the bile duct near the gall bladder and to two lymph nodes.My mums consultant wanted to take a bigger area but another consultant advised against it, so the consultant took the cancer on the bile duct and her gall bladder but left the duodenal cancer and bypassed it so she could eat.We have been told this is a very rare cancer and that it is an aggressive cancer.We also know it is advanced and known as stage iv or m1.As the doctors dont know much about this cancer they have to give chemotherapy for bowel cancer but have said there is around 70% that it wont have any effect on the cancer.So in less than 2 months my mum has gone from the doctors saying it could be an ulcer to them saying its cancer thats not cureable. She is now out of hospital and at home.If she wants chemotherapy it will be around end of Feb 2007 before she gets offered it.This is such a shock for us all and we still cant quite take it all in but if anybody can point me in the right direction for any information I would be very grateful.
Many Thanks
Sarah