CancerCompass message board discussion started by schwwwing on 3/25/2008 http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,22333,0.htm Thu, 04 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT Thu, 04 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss RSS.NET: http://www.rssdotnet.com/ I was just diagnosed with MCC last july, now we have found a good sized mass on my pancreas,Dr. has set me up with whipple for 4/02. i'm 46 and scared, do I agree to the surgery or live another 6 mos. without much pain? schwwwing Tue, 25 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT I am certainly not an expert on the various types of PC but I did have the Whipple in December 2005 and I am still here and cancer free. I did a quick google on MCC and it revealed to me that the survival rate seems very high with no lymph node involvement  and about 50% with some invasion. Since it has been advertised that the Whipple is a good chance for a cure it seems to be the way to go.  With that said, each individual has to make that choice. My prayers go with you.Ken  Ken Wed, 26 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT Do the whipple!!!  And then whatever (if any) chemo they tell you to do after. Don't dismiss doing chemo if that's what the dr says. Combined with the whipple, it's usually a backup to make sure anything that might have seeded somewhere else will be killed as well.. My mom did the whipple. She wouldn't be here today if she hadn't. Things have taken a sour turn for us, as she didn't receive the appropriate after care (chemo) because she didn't have insurance; so we are now again in a battle for her life. This time surgery isn't an option. Your doctors wouldn't offer to do the whipple procedure if they thought the cancer had metasstised anywhere else. It's the best chance you have of fighting this evil disease, and winning!!! Goodluck to you!! Violetincred11 Wed, 26 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT