Has anyone been able to have surgery for tumor in the tail?

Have you considered going back on GC and adding abraxane? Abraxane is the really powerful one that eliminated 1 of my liver lesions and shrunk the other lesion that was 1.7 cm to 0.9cm and then I got MRIdean radiation on it to hopefully decimate it (I’ll know by early December when I meet with the radiation specialist). My marker (CA19-9) is in normal range down, but I will stay on chemo GA (I don’t have the BRCA gene, but have the ATM, KRAS12D, and TP53) forever until it stops working. Cisplatin effective for BRCA and PALB genes. There is also a clinical trial out there RM6236 and RM9805 that is showing some positive results so you might ask your oncologist if you might be a candidate. Best wishes on your journey; just realize it can be a bumpy road!

We received good news on the PET. We're contacting another trial today at Huntsman in Salt Lake City to see what they can offer and to see other options with this new information. Thank you for your information, we will include it in our conversation.

That’s great!

Husband is doing well, as well as can be living with cancer. Thank you for asking. The main battle is with depression. The other major side effect is fatigue. His CA-19 markers have stayed within 36 for nearly 5 months now. Oncologist has spaced out chemo to once every 3 weeks; still no end to chemo and it is likely he has to be on chemo for a long while. Hopefully, it can be spaced out even more. I think the oncologist's concern is that the cancer will return. I do not understand all the medical terms but oncologist said this type of cancer is aggressive.

May I know what chemo regime your husband is on and what does 12 rounds mean? When my husband was on Folfirinox, 1 round was 1 month of 2 chemo sessions.

I can appreciate your concern for your husband's fatigue and depression. Is his oncologist or his PCP aware of his depression? Have they suggested any anti-depressant medications or therapies?

You mentioned that his oncologist said that "this type of cancer is aggressive." Did his oncologist mention the stage of your husband's cancer (cancer is often staged using a number)?

How is his appetite? Often when you are having difficulty eating is can contribute to depression or anxiety.

I would like to invite @mnewland99 to this conversation. She might have something to add to your concerns.

Hello joiedevivre,
I think in French that means “joy of life”? I haven’t taken French since high school, so forgive my translation. Your husband’s journey sounds similar to mine, but common ground is attained based on the mutations. Mine are KRAS12D, ATM, TP53, and a 4th I never see posted. My surgery was in the mid and tail section of the pancreas. I had 12 rounds or I received 2 infusions of chemotherapy each month for 6 months. After 4 months of no longer receiving chemo, it spread to my liver and possibly it was always around my hepatic artery and abdominal peritoneum. Those areas light up on PET scan but the peritoneal area wasn’t seen on the CT and my biopsy was negative for it. Radiologists say scar tissue but oncologists assume it’s cancer to be in the safe side. I haven’t had any growth on them but I do have occasional pain in those areas.
Right now I’m on GA chemotherapy and will be until some other cure comes along. I was on a short 2-3 week break from the chemo after which time a nodule showed up on lung and a lesion lit up in my femur after a PET scan. I did become depressed at that time and my UCLA oncologist offered the assistance of a marriage and family counselor to speak with. Most oncologists g will be able to put you in contact with one. I spoke with her by phone since I was feeling anxious/depressed at that time. It did help and I highly encourage finding someone like that to speak with. It’s good to have a community to reach out to like siblings, friends, old coworkers, children, neighbors, etc, and of course this forum would be good for your husband to jump on and ask questions or about feelings he might be having. I also created a bucket list of things to do. I don’t like to fly so mine are simple like going to a concert, or going out to a restaurant you wouldn’t go to under typical circumstances as it might be bit pricey. There are so many when you really think about them. The chemo itself didn’t cause depression or anxiety (the two often go hand in hand or can be mistaken for the other). There is anxiety about moving on to the next place in time. My crux has been my faith. I go to church when I can or watch the mass online. I get as many blessings for the sick as I can. I’ve spoken with the priest at my parish. I hope your husband has a faith he can rely on or this might be a good time to find some. Is he eating ok? I take protein shakes and plenty of other foods and vitamin b12 to help me be strong. When I was feeling weak a lot of it had to do with the chemotherapy playing havoc with my underlying cardiac arrhythmia as a high heart rate can you make feel weak. I found a good cardiologist that prescribed the right medication for my rapid heart rate. I don’t know where you live, but hopefully the weather is nice enough to take short walks outside? Please try and get your husband to join in on the forum and I’m so glad you are leading him to this!

The oncologist knows and has recommended that my husband sees a psychiatrist. My husband decided he did not want any more medication and is trying to cope. I can see some success and each day he is more like his old self. I cannot remember what cancer type he has and I will go find out. Surgeon placed him at Stage 2B, because the tumour had 'stuck' to his stomach. His spleen, lymph nodes, adrenal gland and the fatty tissue in the abdomen tested clear of cancer. Unfortunately, a PET scan a month and a half after Folfirinox commenced showed up a lump in the abdominal bed - much like what @mnewland99 described - and a lump on the liver (1.2x1.0cm). The lumps did not 'light up' but oncologist classified my husband as Stage 4. Surgeon insists they are not cancerous. Since then, the regime changed to Gem-Abr. We have done 3 PET scans since - no cancerous activity and the lumps are not doing anything - not smaller, not bigger. But still classified as Stage 4 and 1 chemo every 3 weeks.

You remember your French 🙂 Thank you for taking the time to share. I am in this forum without my husband knowing - he is very private and few people know of his illness. This support helps me alot and I then feel I can be of more help to my husband. We are Christians and faith helps. The surgery set my husband back quite a bit - he lost 10kg and he was not a big man to start off with, he had infection, then the Folfirinox gave him really bad side effects and it was a fight to put back on the weight. Now, a year after surgery, he is eating much better and exercising. We live in hot climes but walks are a thing. The chemo is ongoing but if it keeps the cancer away I can live with that. I have to help him live with that.

I might only add that having things to look forward to and being engaged with people helps a lot. No matter what we are going through, there is always someone going through something equally painful. When we pray for others it reminds us of how much we have to be grateful for.
There is always some place that can use your volunteer time. Even if just writing cards to others! Pls check with your Church. I find that the more I am involved with something besides myself, the less I feel depressed. 💜