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Whipple procedure: How to manage daily, chronic nausea and diarrhea?
Cancer | Last Active: Sep 18 6:16am | Replies (8)Comment receiving replies
Hello:
I had the whipple surgery in July 2023. Had stage one ampullary cancer. Many complications so I started chemo 3 months later. My one oncologist wants to keep me on chemo forever and my new one wants to take me off. First guy told me that the cancer is so rare and aggressive that without chemo it would have an 85% reoccurrence. My new doc says he has never heard that and thinks my quality of life is more important.
Has anyone else had their doc tell them to stay on chemo forever? or stop after a year? I would love someone else's experience on this.
THank you
Replies to "Hello: I had the whipple surgery in July 2023. Had stage one ampullary cancer. Many complications..."
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@minpin3165, it can be so confusing when 2 experts offer opposing treatment recommendations. Chemotherapy is sometimes used as a maintenance therapy, meaning continued use. From Mayo Clinic "Chemotherapy is sometimes used after surgery to kill cancer cells that might remain. In people with advanced ampullary cancer, chemotherapy may be used alone to slow the growth of the cancer." https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/ampullary-cancer/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20446378
You said that you were diagnosed with stage 1 ampullary cancer, but that you had several complications. Was the stage of your cancer changed? Was spread (metastasis) discovered outside of the ampulla of Vater area?