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Pancreatic Cancer Group: Introduce yourself and connect with others
Pancreatic Cancer | Last Active: 11 hours ago | Replies (1382)Comment receiving replies
@silver182 I face more big decisions in 4 weeks. I'm scheduled for a Whipple next month (two previous surgery dates in January and February postponed due due elevated CA 19.9 levels). If you don't mind sharing, I have a couple of questions for you.
1. At the time of your Whipple, what was the type, location and Stage of your cancer?
2. If you can recall, what was your CA 19.9 value just prior to surgery?
3. Where did you get your Whipple?
Thanks in advance. It's refreshing to hear a bit of your history and your excellent outcome.
Good on ya.
Replies to "@silver182 I face more big decisions in 4 weeks. I'm scheduled for a Whipple next month..."
Hi there! I had my pylorus preserving Whipple on February 9th. Type (determined after surgery) was adenisquamous carcinoma in the head of the pancreas, stage was 2 (3.5 cm tumor, 3 lymph nodes and nerve tissue impacted but no other metastases). CA 19-9 was around 160. Surgery was done at Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto, they are excellent.
I had 2 immunotherapy infusions prior to Whipple. Starting 12 rounds of Folfirinox next Friday.
Best of luck with your treatment!
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Don’t let them delay the Whipple. I have no clue what my CA 19.9 value was neither did my endo or Whipple surgen they never mentioned anything about CA 19.9 all Eric asked was when do you want the Whipple.”
I said “Monday” that was a Friday..he smiled and said ok but the next Monday a week later, I told him “Eric Kortz” I’d be there!!
He is retired now but worked with Surg-One based in Swedish Hospital Englewood Co. The only thing Eric was concerned about was my internal A Orta as to clearance from my spine??
The Whipple is a 7 hour operation and when done manually like Eric did a very tiring physical procedure. . Not for me “hey” I was sleeping like a baby.
My pancreatic cancer was discovered in my impala da Vader valve.. They defined it as stage one that was a Johns Hopkins biopsy.
My surgeon, Eric, and my Endo surgeon. Frederick Lewis said I was very lucky caught very early because of the symptoms that I had, which were extremely rare. The only symptoms I ever told anybody about was I feel like I’m being eaten by red ants everywhere do something about it or I’m gonna have to blow my head off!! In the pre-Whipple days which would be 1930 and earlier the only choice of person would have had would be to take a shotgun or a pistol to his head, and get rid of the symptoms.
I have no clue where you live, but I do know that there is a surgeon at Surg - One who trained under Eric Kortz would know how to do the Whipple properly. I would suggest him be your surgeon and get it done ASAP. Godspeed!!