Pancreatic (Ampullary) Cancer

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-18-2006
Pancreatic (Ampullary) Cancer
3
Sun, 06-18-2006 - 1:39pm

Our other good friend just died of pancreatic......specifically ampullary - which we hear is the top, opening of the pancreas.

He beat it the first time, but it came back --- & ultimately something ruptured or something -b/c he was beating it the 2nd time & a rupture or virus got him before he could really recover from the 2nd cancer treatments......

Just wondered if there's others out there having experienced this. Guess he's lucky to have beaten it the first time...... Is it almost always fatal?

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-22-2003
Sun, 06-18-2006 - 3:33pm

Pancreatic cancer is a particularly difficult one to treat and yes he was lucky to have it in remission after treatment.

Judy

cl-ivhjude

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-17-2004
Tue, 06-20-2006 - 7:18pm

Hi there...

I read your post and I am so sorry about your friend. My father might have Pancreatic Cancer and I was just wondering from the time your friend was first diagnosed how long did he live and had the cancer spread to other organs? Also if you dont mind me asking how old was your friend? In my fathers case they dont know where the cancer is coming from there is one lesion in the lung and multiple in the liver but they just are not sure if its lung to liver or if its coming from somewhre else...

Any feedback would be great...

Sorry again for your loss..

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-18-2006
Tue, 06-20-2006 - 8:55pm

Sorry to hear about your Dad. I know you're scared. I really don't know about what you describe - but

My friend lived 2 1/2 years from first diagnosis. But i hear this is unusual. Thing is - with the first diagnosis, they think they were able to take the tumor out along with a little liver, the gallbladder, a little stomach, a little intestine. So - it might depend from the start - if the spot(s) is/are operable.

They thought they'd gotten it all ("clear borders" - or whatever the term is.....) So - I hear he went from then to over 1 1/2 years later as "clear". No evidence. But, apparently, it was after that 1 1/2 year check, that it developed, b/c before the 2 year check, it was all the sudden back!

I don't believe the cancer had ever spread. AFAIK, it never "spread"..... He was 51 when he just had shown improvement with the 2nd round treatments (2nd remission) --- when he just happened to get an infection, or whatever - that took him quickly out.

Just crappy luck. All I can say is PRAY! -- I SWEAR it helped my friend - we were all praying profusely - Maybe he died in the end, but we got this extra 2 1/2 years!!!! I think that's what we have to be glad for. Just make the most of the time with your Dad, b/c you never know ----- even when you get good news!

I don't know how much experience you have with cancer - but he definitely physically showed his downhill. You could SEE easily, how everything was ravishing his body within 2-3 months. And yet - I think many of us counted that he would conquer this & be back in the saddle again! He was gaining weight & tumors were shrinking. We expected him to be back to his old self. But ultimately, the body just couldn't fight the infection with its condition.

I'm no expert, but please email if I can help again....... good luck!