Help - Need Some Info - Mayo Clinic

My aunt is 70 years old, and 4 weeks ago was diagnosed with bile duct cancer.  She has a very big tumor in her liver, and she also has some cancer in her kidney.  There were complications when she was admitted to the hospital as she came down with pancreatitis and was extremely sick.  Couldn't walk, eat, talk - really bad. At one point they thought she was going to die from the pancreatitis.  However she has been recovering quite well from the pancreatitis, but is still very weak. My cousins contacted the Mayo Clinic and they asked for all her charts/test results.  They wanted her to come in so they could do their own testing, but my cousins explained she is just still so weak and the 4 hour ambulance drive will be really difficult on her and could potentially set her back.  So they asked if the doctor could examine her charts/ tests they had sent out there, to be a little more specific about if they think they can help her.  Her diagnosis where she is now is that she has 3-6 months to live.  After a little resistance, the Mayo clinic said they understood the situation, and the doctor would look at her tests after a week when he returned back to the clinic.  Now he is back, and they won't tell my cousin anything more.  They again just said that my aunt should come in.  Their concern is that if there is nothing they can do, the trip could potentially set her back and the quality of what life she has left will really suffer.  But if the Mayo clinic could give them a little more specific information, and if they thought there was a chance to help her, then the trip would be worth it.  In the mean time, her tumor keeps growing so time is of the essence.

 Does anyone have any feedback, suggestions, or information?  I just wish the Mayo clinic would be a little more flexible under the circumstances.  If she does go out there, she also needs assisted living - she can't stay in an apartment with just my cousins as she needs to be watched over as she's still pretty sick.

 Thanks ahead if anyone has any info for me.

On 2/5/2007 Nooden wrote:

My aunt is 70 years old, and 4 weeks ago was diagnosed with bile duct cancer.  She has a very big tumor in her liver, and she also has some cancer in her kidney.  There were complications when she was admitted to the hospital as she came down with pancreatitis and was extremely sick.  Couldn't walk, eat, talk - really bad. At one point they thought she was going to die from the pancreatitis.  However she has been recovering quite well from the pancreatitis, but is still very weak. My cousins contacted the Mayo Clinic and they asked for all her charts/test results.  They wanted her to come in so they could do their own testing, but my cousins explained she is just still so weak and the 4 hour ambulance drive will be really difficult on her and could potentially set her back.  So they asked if the doctor could examine her charts/ tests they had sent out there, to be a little more specific about if they think they can help her.  Her diagnosis where she is now is that she has 3-6 months to live.  After a little resistance, the Mayo clinic said they understood the situation, and the doctor would look at her tests after a week when he returned back to the clinic.  Now he is back, and they won't tell my cousin anything more.  They again just said that my aunt should come in.  Their concern is that if there is nothing they can do, the trip could potentially set her back and the quality of what life she has left will really suffer.  But if the Mayo clinic could give them a little more specific information, and if they thought there was a chance to help her, then the trip would be worth it.  In the mean time, her tumor keeps growing so time is of the essence.

 Does anyone have any feedback, suggestions, or information?  I just wish the Mayo clinic would be a little more flexible under the circumstances.  If she does go out there, she also needs assisted living - she can't stay in an apartment with just my cousins as she needs to be watched over as she's still pretty sick.

 Thanks ahead if anyone has any info for me.

Hi,

I'm not sure I can give much help but my mom is 67 and she was diagnosed with bile duct cancer 1 1/2 years ago.  She had 60% of her liver removed, then it spread to her pancreas and they (MAYO) removed most of the pancreas.  It has now spread to several spots in her body, including her kidney.  The Dr.'s at Mayo have been very good, the MAYO process has been frustrating.  They forget to schedule her etc.  The don't bend very easily so I imagine they won't discuss this with you unless they see her.  I wish I had suggestions.  it's an awful cancer. 

I finally asked my mom to sign a release form so that the Dr.'s would talk to me and my sister.

 Best of luck to you and your aunt.