Pancreatic Cancer Group: Introduce yourself and connect with others

Cealia,
I also am a retired nurse & being on this side of the bed is challenging to say the least. I have stage 4 inoperable pancreatic cancer in the tail which was also found by "accident" due to CT of my lungs as a former smoker. I had a mass on my adrenal gland and mets to my lungs. I am in GA about 2.5 hours north of Mayo Jacksonville. Mayo did the confirmation since I was striking out on referrals to "local" (45 min. away) gastro docs! You are so lucky to find this site early! Took me forever to find this group. The other 2 sites recommended are really helpful too (Let's Win & pancan .org). You may find your nursing research skills getting used to try & find articles that help you deal with nutrition & labs, pain management, drugs, and therapies like acupuncture (helps me), exercise and motivation.

Hello everyone. Joe from Pa here. My wife was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2021. She was diagnosed after repeated trips to her primary physician who prescribed heartburn medicine. Thankfully she pushed him and finally a gastro doc recommended an MRI which discovered a tumor in the middle of her pancreas. She received surgery in Hershey, Pa where they removed her tumor, part of her pancreas, her spleen and 13 lymph nodes. Unfortunately a year later the cancer was found to have spread to other lymph nodes in an inoperable area. After several rounds of Chemo drips both before her surgery and after she has come to the point where she can no longer tolerate the drip and the FU box they sent her home with. She is now on pills from a targeted therapy still getting side effects, but tolerable so far. It's been a long road for her and being her caretaker has been challenging. She has been though a myriad of emotions from anger to tears. Fighting to quiting to fighting again. We live in a rural area of Pa between Philly and Pittsburgh and I wonder if she is receiving the best care here. She is on her 4th oncologist in the past 2 and a half years. The local cancer clinic who is caring for her here is associated with John Hopkins in Baltimore, MD who is in communication regarding her case and in agreement with her treatments. In any case so glad I found this site. Hoping to connect with others going through the same issues. We don't have family close as we are from the Philly area as I moved us out here for a job 10 years ago. Don't hear much from them. I honestly think they don't know what to say to us, so out of sight out of mind, unfortunately. We are both retired now. Thanks for reading our story.

My husband was diagnosed with Stage IV pancreatic cancer with metastasis to the liver and peritoneum. He is 67 but is in really good physical condition due to working construction his entire life. He is getting ready for his 12th treatment of Folfirinox next week and is still doing fairly well considering the severity of the disease and degree of spread. His tumor is in the tail of the pancreas. We did go to MD Anderson for a second opinion but they couldn't offer any different treatment than we are receiving in Kansas City. He still works construction except for the days he is on the 5fu pump (we own the company so his schedule if flexible). Outside of fatigue with anemia, which is chemo related I assume, and some bowel issues a few days per month he feels fairly good. His last scan yesterday does show "stable widespread metastatic disease" but also a new condition has arose. This is copied and pasted from the actual report in his mychart. We do not get to speak to the oncologist for another week, although I do expect them to call since there is another "procedure" needed, but I am unclear as to what this new situation means. Does anyone have any experience or knowledge of the following condition?

"2. Development of moderate right hydroureteronephrosis with abrupt transition of the dilated right ureter at the level of the false pelvis likely owing to distal ureteral obstruction from peritoneal metastatic disease. Consideration should be given to placement of a percutaneous nephrostomy or ureteral stent to preserve renal function."

Thank you for any help with this and prayers for all of us dealing with this evil disease currently and in the past!

Hello everyone. Joe from Pa here. My wife was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2021. She was diagnosed after repeated trips to her primary physician who prescribed heartburn medicine. Thankfully she pushed him and finally a gastro doc recommended an MRI which discovered a tumor in the middle of her pancreas. She received surgery in Hershey, Pa where they removed her tumor, part of her pancreas, her spleen and 13 lymph nodes. Unfortunately a year later the cancer was found to have spread to other lymph nodes in an inoperable area. After several rounds of Chemo drips both before her surgery and after she has come to the point where she can no longer tolerate the drip and the FU box they sent her home with. She is now on pills from a targeted therapy still getting side effects, but tolerable so far. It's been a long road for her and being her caretaker has been challenging. She has been though a myriad of emotions from anger to tears. Fighting to quiting to fighting again. We live in a rural area of Pa between Philly and Pittsburgh and I wonder if she is receiving the best care here. She is on her 4th oncologist in the past 2 and a half years. The local cancer clinic who is caring for her here is associated with John Hopkins in Baltimore, MD who is in communication regarding her case and in agreement with her treatments. In any case so glad I found this site. Hoping to connect with others going through the same issues. We don't have family close as we are from the Philly area as I moved us out here for a job 10 years ago. Don't hear much from them. I honestly think they don't know what to say to us, so out of sight out of mind, unfortunately. We are both retired now. Thanks for reading our story.

My husband was diagnosed with Stage IV pancreatic cancer with metastasis to the liver and peritoneum. He is 67 but is in really good physical condition due to working construction his entire life. He is getting ready for his 12th treatment of Folfirinox next week and is still doing fairly well considering the severity of the disease and degree of spread. His tumor is in the tail of the pancreas. We did go to MD Anderson for a second opinion but they couldn't offer any different treatment than we are receiving in Kansas City. He still works construction except for the days he is on the 5fu pump (we own the company so his schedule if flexible). Outside of fatigue with anemia, which is chemo related I assume, and some bowel issues a few days per month he feels fairly good. His last scan yesterday does show "stable widespread metastatic disease" but also a new condition has arose. This is copied and pasted from the actual report in his mychart. We do not get to speak to the oncologist for another week, although I do expect them to call since there is another "procedure" needed, but I am unclear as to what this new situation means. Does anyone have any experience or knowledge of the following condition?

"2. Development of moderate right hydroureteronephrosis with abrupt transition of the dilated right ureter at the level of the false pelvis likely owing to distal ureteral obstruction from peritoneal metastatic disease. Consideration should be given to placement of a percutaneous nephrostomy or ureteral stent to preserve renal function."

Thank you for any help with this and prayers for all of us dealing with this evil disease currently and in the past!

Have you contacted pancan.org for options in your geographic area? I have found PanCan.org very helpful in providing information on oncologists, surgeons and clinics. University of Pennsylvania does PDAC research (for one), although I don't know how robust their Pancreatic Cancer department is for your situation. Pancan.org can provide quite a bit of information that may be of help.

Hello! Welcome to the Mayo board. I also have stage 4 inoperable pancreatic adenocarcinoma. I was diagnosed in late March 2023 and staged 4/6/23. I can certainly understand all of your concerns. This disease is challenging, and fighting it is a real slog, day by day. It is difficult to keep spirits up. I'm glad your MD is in touch with the Johns Hopkins folks; that should help you get the appropriate treatment. But of course, you are always free to seek a second or third opinion elsewhere. Why did your wife change oncologists? I changed early in my treatment because my first oncologist, um, lacked bedside manner, let's say. (He was sharp and dismissive.) I also hope that you have some community support in your area and resources such as grocery delivery to help you manage everything. Please feel free to browse the board and research topics and post questions. I have found the people here to be so friendly and forthcoming, and I'm sure you will too.

Has anyone on this panel ever used broccoli sprouts to help stop the spread of cancer? I have read at the N.I.H. and Johns Hopkins websites that using broccoli sprouts that has a concentration of a substance called sulforaphane can help stop the progression of various cancers.

@199 Thank you for reaching out the info is very helpful. LOL😂 As nurses we know each other so well. In 3 weeks I have a 3 subject notebook set up. Someone said this journey is like having a job again. Appts, Phone calls, going to meetings you know you're going to feel worse coming out of the meeting.
I am VERY grateful for accidentally finding this now and I will do my part.
What are they doing for you as stage 4? Prayers always. If you need to talk to someone outside your circle message me.
I have a good ear.