Danielle, I'm sorry to hear about your results. I was in your situation late April 2025. I highly recommend you gather as big of a support system around you as you can. If you're religious get everyone you know to pray for you and your family for peace of mind.

Try to always bring someone with you to your appointments. There is so much coming at you and having another person you trust listening to the doctors helps enormously to remember what was said.

Before you start treatments, find out about and consider getting into Clinical trials. Sometimes they won't accept after starting other treatments. Your oncologist should have resources available about clinical trials.
tricanhealth.com - clinical trial site a bit easier than the .gov site
clinicaltrials.gov - the main government database of clinical trials

pancan.org is another good website with Pancreatic cancer info in addition to the Mayo sites.

Most importantly keep a positive attitude that you can beat this.

I'll be praying for you.
Marty

@danianderson7 ,

Hi Dani, sorry to hear about your diagnosis.

There are some good questions and thoughts to consider in these two archived threads:
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/newly-diagnosed-questions-to-ask/
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/which-questions-should-i-ask-my-surgeon-i-think-whipple-is-likely/
There may be some overlap between the comments below and those threads, but I don't recall everything they contain, even though I posted several of them (2 years ago!) 🙁

1) Ask if enough biopsy was taken and saved to submit for NGS (Next-Generation Sequencing), i.e. genetic/DNA/IHC testing to identify any mutations, fusions, protein overexpressions, or other "alterations" that might be targetable by a customized treatment or clinical trial. Knowing this might not provide immediate benefit, but definitely will in the longer term.

2) Also get genetic testing done of your germline (inherited) mutations to help identify whether any can be targeted by customized treatment; same goal as (1).

3) Remember that this first appointment will most likely be with a MEDICAL oncologist. (SURGICAL oncologist, RADIATION oncologist, and RESEARCH oncologist / Trials Coordinator oncologist will come later.

Your first and soonest appointment with the medical oncologist is probably someone set up by referral from your primary care doc or other provider who made the diagnosis. This does not have to be your medical oncologist or institution for the long haul. Make sure you get affiliated with the best pancreatic centers of excellence you can access (insurance-wise and geography-/travel-wise). High-volume providers at these institutions have better outcomes, more resources to address related problems, and more access to clinical trials.

You will probably be pushed to start systemic, standard-of-care chemo as soon as possible. Don't let them rush you into a decision you're not comfortable with, although it doesn't hurt go get a chemo port placed if they recommend that. You'll probably need that sooner rather than later, and having it will avoid delay starting treatment wherever you decide to go.
(* "Rush" should factor in your current condition and likelihood/risk of metastasis, but hopefully not more than 3-4 weeks max.)

Wishing you the best!