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Mom diagnosed with stage 4 adenocarcinoma of the pancreas
Pancreatic Cancer | Last Active: Jun 13 6:15pm | Replies (10)Comment receiving replies
Thank you so much for taking the time to reply! I am truly grateful. I will definitely look into the things you mentioned above. It's been an emotional roller coaster and it's only been a week since her diagnosis. I am concerned for my mother's mental well-being. I couldn't imagine being in her shoes. Your strength and the strength of others on this page give me hope and comfort. My mother seems to be doing well. She's staying active and seems to be in a positive mood. I definitely keep my head up when I'm around her. I know I have to be strong for her.
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You're very welcome. As part of this process, the docs should do a germline genetic test to see if your mom inherited any DNA mutations that might be targetable by a specific treatment. If she is positive for any mutations, you should also get tested for them to help understand your future risk.
It would be ideal if she could get the germline mutation test and results back before treatment begins, as it might change the course of treatment. I have no medical training, and would almost never recommend a delay in treatment, but there might be time to get that test done and results back before treatment begins.
If her cancer was diagnosed/confirmed via tissue biopsy, ask if the tissue has been sent out for next-generation DNA sequencing. Information from this kind of "somatic" (environmental) mutation testing could also help steer treatment. If there is enough remaining biopsy tissue, PanCan.org can arrange to have that kind of testing done free of charge with a doctor's order as part of their KYT (Know Your Tumor) program.
How old is your mom, and what kind of chemo (which drugs) are they proposing?