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Original poster

pancreatic cancer........anyone got any advice?

22 replies

queenrollo · 26/09/2006 19:15

a friend has just been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and been told it has spread to the liver.

i was just wondering if anyone has any experience or advice about what happens from here. i want to be able to support the family, but can't find anything very positive by looking on the internet so decided to stop and just ask on here for some words of wisdom from people who seem fantastic at providing just the right kind of info.

OP posts:

bundle · 26/09/2006 19:18

I'm sorry about your friend's diagnosis, I have no experience, but here's some information from a good website

tribpot · 26/09/2006 19:20

Very sorry to hear this news. A friend of mine died of pancreatic cancer 12 years ago.

Cancer Backup may also be useful to you.

loujay · 26/09/2006 19:44

Hi queenrollo,
My mum had pancreatic cancer which then spread to the liver so I am somewhat unfortunately well versed in all things pancreatic.
This is unfortunately not a great place to have cancer (as if any place is)
Looking on the cancer bacup website will give you all of the medical info that you may need, also you can send for leaflets for free on that website for all sorts of support.
In general I would say just be there for you friend and her/his family. Any help you offer will be appreciated.
Much love to you
Lou

Original poster

queenrollo · 27/09/2006 10:25

thankyou everyone.......from what i've read it's not looking brilliant. he's been ill for ages and diagnosis was a long time coming, but i understand it's a very hard cancer to find. also he is under 40 so not in the 'typical' age group they would expect. they visited him yesterday and he was doubled up in pain, and is having morphine for relief. awaiting more test results and will have to travel for treatment as our local hospital don't deal with this kind of cancer.

will be there for the family, but to honest this is one more thing in a catalogue of bad luck they've been having lately. makes me grateful for all the wonderful things i have......

OP posts:

Elibean · 27/09/2006 10:45

I'm so sorry, its rare for under 40s to get pancreatic cancer - how awful.

Just wanted to let you know a friend of mine's old school pal was also diagnosed with metastatic pancreatic cancer, about eighteen months ago: she had a baby and a toddler at the time, and was in her mid thirties. It was a totally traumatic diagnosis to get, and no one knew how she would respond to treatment (chemotherapy) which she started straight away. I think it had spread to her liver and, if I remember rightly, her brain.
Anyway....18 months on she is still here, and still coping with life and kids (to her own surprise). She managed to do that all through chemo, and the cancer is being controlled - not cured, but managed.
The one advantage of being a younger cancer patient is that the body is more likely to cope with stressful treatments, and respond well.

But its not a 'good' cancer to have, by any means, I really am sorry
Lots of best wishes to your friends, I hope at the very least his pain relief is sorted soon.

SoupDragon · 27/09/2006 10:46

FIL was diagnosed with this a year ago. You're right, it's a b*gger to spot apparently and he'd had all sorts of tests for years to find out what was wrong with him. You're also right that the prognosis isn't good for this type of cancer.

FIL was in intensive care fr a good while, on a ventilator etc and then recovered well enough to have major surgery in January - can't remember exactly what they removed along with the pancreas but there were a few. He was lucky in that it does not appear to have spread, despite being a large tumour. To be honest, to look at him now youwould not know he'd been at death's door. However, I think he's an exception to the normal run of things from what I can gather.

Original poster

queenrollo · 17/10/2006 10:41

just updating.....

he has been told it has spread to the stomach lining too, so they can't operate. currently trying to get his pain medication sorted (he has epilepsy too, so have to work out the right combination of drugs) and then sending him home. he has been told he probably has two years

OP posts:

ks · 17/10/2006 10:43

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

FreakyFloss · 18/10/2006 00:50

that is sad news qr. pancreatic cancer is an area widely lagging behind other areas. It is a nasty type of cancer. The operation even if he had been able to have it is a huge undertaking which many patients find very hard to recover from. Also the prognosis following this can still be very poor. I hope he enjoys his return home and that his pain and/or any nausea are well controlled now.

lemonAIIEEE · 18/10/2006 07:13

I've known a few people with pancreatic cancer. 2 years is quite a long time to be given with inoperable pancreatic cancer, so that's - well, not positive, but those I knew all had less than six months so they must think he has something going for him. Getting effective pain relief sorted and regularly reviewed is, as others said, going to be the really critical thing.

Original poster

queenrollo · 18/10/2006 10:00

oh dear
finally a consultant sat down with him yesterday and with apologies told him exactly what they had discovered (and why it's been so long for them to figure it out).....he actually has the rarest form of this cancer (endocrine cancer? is that right?).....they can do nothing except offer pain management and told him this dramatically reduces the two years they had hoped for.

he has already organised his funeral and told his two children how poorly he is. he has requested a full copy of his notes from the GP and is seeking legal advice.....for a VERY long time he has been ill and they kept sending him away telling him he had IBS.
he just wants to go home to his beloved record collection and play it all very loud, and have the best Christmas possible under the circumstances.

OP posts:

Marina · 18/10/2006 10:03

QR I am so sorry to hear this. I hope he stays well enough to enjoy a good Christmas and that he gets proper redress as to why he was not taken seriously when he first went to the GPs. What awful news.
You mentioned his family - in an odd sort of way I am hoping it doesn't include young children who stand to lose their dad far too soon

FreakyFloss · 18/10/2006 10:20

oh no qr - i have to say that with liver & stomach cancer, two years did seem, well generous really. So sorry. I hope he has a fabulous christmas.

ks · 18/10/2006 10:54

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

SpeckledHen · 18/10/2006 11:01

my mum died of pancreatic cancer which spread to the liver. She lived 12 months after diagnosis and she died peacefully. So sorry about your friend.

Original poster

queenrollo · 30/04/2007 13:31

updating.......

after fighting it and being almost his 'normal self' until a couple of weeks ago our friend passed this morning.

OP posts:

SoupDragon · 30/04/2007 13:32

harrisey · 30/04/2007 13:44

tbh, 2 years is a really good prognosis for liver/pancreatic/stomach cancer.

These are not nice diagnoses , so your friend has some good time to do what needs to be done re seeing people, doing anything outstanding. My step - grandad died of liver/pancreatic cancer - its not nice, he faded away to nothing. It was a hard time for the whole family.

There really is no cure, its just going to be a case of supporting the family and your friend through what is going to be a hard time for them all. Liver/pancreatic cancer doesnt get better, it just gets worse.

Sorry to hear all this - I know how it goes.

harrisey · 30/04/2007 13:46

So sorry to hear that.

Wishing many blessings on your family and friends as you deal with this - so sorry for you all as youdela with bereavement (my Gran died 2 weeks ago - feeling for you all)

geekgrrl · 30/04/2007 13:47

sorry to hear your update, queenrollo

themaskedposter · 30/04/2007 13:51

sorry to hear this news

my aunty was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer at the beginning of the year... she has a year at the most

PollyLogos · 30/04/2007 14:02

Sorry to hear about your friend queenrollo. My mum had pancreatic cancer

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