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Pancreatic Cancer Group: Introduce yourself and connect with others
Pancreatic Cancer | Last Active: 4 hours ago | Replies (2208)Comment receiving replies
Hello from Chula Vista, California,
I was diagnosed with PDAC 3 weeks ago (3/6/26) during a hospital stay. They haven't staged it, but as far as treatment goes, my 3cm undifferentiated malignancy is "borderline resectable." Plan is to do 6-8 rounds of mFOLFIRINOX, then try to resect, then more chemo. All new to me, and I'm trying to keep my head above water. I recently moved from Maryland to SoCal after a fall Semester at Sea, turned 67 on December 30th, retired January 1st, started Medicare on Feb 1st, and started having GI symptoms on Feb 10th. My chest port will go in this Friday, April 3rd, and I've asked my brother to pre-emptively shave my head this weekend. A new voyage underway, for sure.
Grateful for this community as I get started with both treatment and retirement. Thanks for taking me in when I'm not a Mayo patient, but need community. I'll be reading all your questions and comments!
Warm regards,
Mary D
Replies to "Hello from Chula Vista, California, I was diagnosed with PDAC 3 weeks ago (3/6/26) during a..."
@donomary
Hi Mary, congrats on your retirement and well wishes with your health. I was diagnosed with locally advanced PC 3 months ago. I'm 69 and have had 4 folfirinox treatments so far, no hair loss and manageable side affects. They will do another scan soon and reevaluate surgery. No stage was given to me. I've been able to stabilize weight after losing 15 #s. My energy is better. Hope and faith get me thru.
Take care, Maria F.
@donomary My wife has PDAC and had 11 treatments of folfirinox last year. She advises not to cut all your hair off to start as she didn't start shedding until she was two thirds of the way through. And, even then, she didn't lose it all and I thought it was hardly noticeable. Of course, everyone is different but just wanted to share her experience. Good luck with treatment! And sorry for your diagnosis. Folfirinox, by the way, shrunk her tumor in half. She is, after more than a year, still Stage III.
Dear Mary -- You should consider going to a designated comprehensive cancer center. This link below lists several comprehensive cancer centers in Southern California:
https://www.cancer.gov/research/infrastructure/cancer-centers/find
The pancreatic cancer network has lots of useful information and contacts:
https://pancan.org
If surgery is an option consider going to a high volume center. The pancreatic cancer network can help with that.
Dan
@donomary I am also not a Mayo patient but this Mayo community is indispensable for me. I am 65 years old. And I have hair. I went 12 rounds with Folfirinox, my hair didn't all fall out but it started to thin considerably by round 9. My friends and family said it wasn't noticeable but I did cut my hair short in September 2025. My PC was deemed resectable and I had surgery, but doc advised not to take out the port because of the recurrence rate. Kind of not what I wanted to hear after going through all that. I did lose a lot of weight but I am five months out now and I am back to my normal weight. I eat like a field hand. I wish you all the best, prayers if you are spiritual, luck if you are not. Maybe a little of both, actually. Will wait to hear how you're doing.
@donomary Hi and welcome to Mayo Connect. You have received some great feedback from others. How are you feeling? What thoughts and questions are you having? We are here to help.
Sounds so similar to my husband. He turned yellow in October of 2024. Many stents placed in liver. Failed biopsy after biopsy. 9 months to diagnose him with stage 3 Pancreatic Cancer. H Pylori in the beginning. Sepsis 7 months ago. 12 rounds of Chemo. I joined here for support & knowledge. He doesn't use Technology as far as Internet ECT. So I do the research & whatever I feel is needed and I can handle. Trying my best for basically we have just each other. ( 51 years)Wedding Anniversary is the Day before his Whipple. I Feel he's doing it for me . Fears leaving me alone . I m trying to just have a plan & go day by day. This group has been a help for sure. Best to you & yours.
@donomary, how are you doing? Have you started chemo?
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@donomary wish you good luck with treatment .. I hope all goes to plan .. don’t shave of all your hair as some people don’t lose it all xx