Pancreatic cancer question.?

My sister was recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer after being a breast cancer survivor for 5 years. Are there any treatments out there for pancreatic disease and what would be her quality of life?

first you need to get her to a Dr. that has done alot of whipples...
http://pathology.jhu.edu/n.web is a site that is very informative with links to john hopkins. I have experianced P.C. first hand ...parent died 12/21/05 from it after diagnosed 2004 . what stage is she ? quaility of life is fine until the last stage then its just plain Hellllllll . once pc spreads it squeezes shut stomach ...the patient starves to death. I URGE you to HURRY . If the whipple can be done , she should survive. reason whipple can't be done would be cancer growth/ wraps around major viens/arteries HURRY is not the word ...FLOCKEN RUN to an oncolgist that has experiance with the whipple procedure. I DO know of two people in my town that survived after the whipple. Did I mention HURRY!!!!! It is an aggressive fast growning cancer...My PRAYERS are with you and yours during this very trying time in your life.

My uncle had that and he took the usual chemo and radiation. Like any cancer patient, some days were okay and others weren't.

Pancreatic cancer is one difficult cancer to fight because it is located next to many major blood vessels so that the cancer can spread fast. I am very sorry but the prognosis is bad. She may have only less than 4 yrs more until the pain will unbearable!! Steve McQueen and Micheal Landon both had pancreatic cancer!

Yes, She is probably seeing an Oncologist now. He probably will put her on a regimen with Gemzar which is a chemotheraputic agent that will not make her sick.
Hope that helps.
Very little side effects and should make her quality of life better for now.
Chemo RN x 12 yrs.

1st you need to know is if it is operative this is done by a combo of a special CT called a triple phase and a "EUS" (endoscopic ultrasound).
If it is resectable this operation is complex but only true chance of cure and durable disease free status

2nd if not resectable, the need a biopsy either by EUS or CT guided to determine cell type this will determine odds of survival and whether chemo or radiation will help

Sorry to be so blunt but my sister died from pancreatic cancer 4 weeks ago after a period of 3 months, time was so short because she could not recieve chemo because of her jaundiced state. This cancer is very hard to detect and is usually found in its later stages making it hard to treat. If found in its early stages ray and chemo can be administered with the possibility of its removal via surgery. It is a very agressive type of cancer and produces secondaries quickly blocking bile ducts etc. Good luck and best wishes.

discuss all the options with more than one dr.--always get a second opinion. having someone you love going through cancer is emotionally and physically draining for everyone. be there for your sister and know that you aren't alone. God bless

email me for info davrlaw@yahoo.com

My mother had pancreatic cancer, and she chose not to have treatment, and she lived for almost 2 years after being diganosed, but it was horrible watching her wither away like she did......it was really sad. I spent a lot of time with her helping my Dad take care of her, and it was really hard seeing her go like that, and she was only 64 when she died.