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💜 Surviving Pancreatic Cancer for 3 years and beyond 💜
Pancreatic Cancer | Last Active: Dec 30, 2025 | Replies (32)Comment receiving replies
Has anyone else with stage 1/ no spread pancreatic cancer tried radiation instead of chemo? I know there is not research to back it up with any success rates. But it seems logical that it could buy me possibly some more time and maybe less pain. My main concern is how safe it is when done by a doctor that doesn’t have experience in this particular type of cancer. How likely am I to end up with, say, worse gastric problems and wishing I had never done it? Just wondering if anyone else has had any experience with this?
Replies to "Has anyone else with stage 1/ no spread pancreatic cancer tried radiation instead of chemo? I..."
Did you say you are going to get a second opinion at Mayo?
I would recommend asking about all of the options available. Make sure to ask a lot of questions regarding treatment plans and the chemotherapy choices you can consider. Do they offer radiation? If not what’s the reasoning behind it.
In my case, I met with a cancer center and then with Mayo. Neither mentioned radiation.
I did ask the cancer center I consulted with before Mayo about the proton radiation but they said the treatment would be Whipple and chemo. I did not ask why.
For me I would only work with an oncologist specializing in my cancer.
Wishing you the best!
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@ardithbjorge I had stage 1/no spread PC, diagnosed Feb. 2025. None of my Drs or surgeon mentioned having radiology, I am wondering why you are posing your question, radiology instead of chemo? I don’t know the exact details for why Drs select one over the other, except that depending on the location of the mass, may not be able to safely deliver radiation with other critical structures in the area. You can maybe illuminate me! I had the Whipple, and just last week finished 12 cycles of Folfirinox. Not a lot of fun, but not that debilitating.