💜 Surviving Pancreatic Cancer for 3 years and beyond 💜

Posted by azsunshine7 @azsunshine7, Dec 12, 2025

Advancements in medicine have resulted in an increase in life expectancy.

If you are willing, please consider sharing your personal experience to assist others facing the diagnosis who want to hear your story.

Have you successfully survived pancreatic cancer for a duration exceeding three years?

What was your diagnosis at the time of discovery?

Was the cancer classified as localized, regional, or distant?

What treatment plan was implemented in your case?

Did your treatment regimen include surgery and chemotherapy?

What additional treatments or health regimens did you adopt outside of the medical treatment plan?

What was your overall health status at the time of diagnosis?

What is the current stage of your condition?

Do you possess a genetic mutation associated with pancreatic cancer?

Please reply if you have additional questions I didn’t ask as well.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Pancreatic Cancer Support Group.

azsunshine7 | @azsunshine7 | Dec 23, 2025

In reply to @hotelkilo1 "I owe my life to my oncologist at the Indiana University Hospital in Indianapolis." + (show)

@hotelkilo1

That’s a very kind thing to say!

Best wishes for you! 💜

ardithbjorge | @ardithbjorge | Dec 30, 2025

In reply to @azsunshine7 "@ardithbjorge Did you say you are going to get a second opinion at Mayo? I would..." + (show)

@azsunshine7 Yes, I did go to Mayo and they said the same thing as my local doctors—-6 months of folfirinox followed by Whipple. No need for me to go back to Mayo because I do not want to do Whipple surgery, either at Mayo or at home. And I didn’t get past the first treatment of chemo. I appreciate your answer that you were told the same thing as I was at both the cancer center and Mayo. I will listen to the radiation doctor, but I am pretty sure I will not do that, either. I’d rather take my chances on feeling as well as I can for as long as I can without any treatment. Even if I went through the treatment, my chances of surviving the cancer are only 30%. Not worth the risk in my opinion. At 84, it’s quality over quantity.

azsunshine7 | @azsunshine7 | Jan 19 3:17pm

In reply to @hotelkilo1 "The Whipple procedure, to remove the tumor, 40% of my pancreas, and my gallbladder, was completed..." + (show)

@hotelkilo1

What is a revised pancreatic surgery? Is that a revised whipple?

I have not heard of that.

pkappy | @pkappy | 6 days ago

Very nice reading your post. I too am a 7 + year Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer survivor. I am taking Lynparza (PARP Inhibitor) and its been working for me for the last 6 years after a 600 hours of Chemo when I was originally diagnosed. I get checked every 27 days and my latest Tumor Marker was at 7 last week.

Wishing you all hope and prayers!

pkappy | @pkappy | 6 days ago

Turkey, Volunteer Mentor | @tomrennie | 5 days ago

In reply to @pkappy "Very nice reading your post. I too am a 7 + year Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer..." + (show)

@pkappy Hi and welcome to Mayo Connect. It is awesome that the Lynparza is working for you. When did you start taking it? Do you experience any side effects? What chemo did you take prior to starting Lynparza? How did you respond to the previous chemo? Have you had any other treatment other than the Lynparza and chemo? 7 plus years is amazing. Thank you.

pkappy | @pkappy | 5 days ago

In reply to @tomrennie "@pkappy Hi and welcome to Mayo Connect. It is awesome that the Lynparza is working for..." + (show)

@tomrennie thank you for reading my post. i’ve been taking lynparza since August of 2019. prior to that in January of 2019 i was on chemo with folfirnox and Gembecide i think it’s called. i took to it pretty well and never missed a treatment in 600 hours (7 months) of chemotherapy. i an used to lynparza now. i might get a little fatigued but its saving my life i work every day and am grateful for that. i’m just lucky i guess. oh and my cancer is genetic so i think that helps too. i’m 62!years old. tumor markers are between 5 and 7 every month which is great. scans show no visual tumors for the past 6 years. the lynparza is keeping everything at bay

mcharlesfrancis | @mcharlesfrancis | 5 days ago

I’m a seven year and three months survivor. I did the triplet gem Abrx and cisplation with vitamin D for 18 weeks two weeks on one weeks off and then 33 days of radiation.

tmpeterson16 | @tmpeterson16 | 5 days ago

In reply to @ashley2235 "To add... I was able to work throughout chemo, and after surgery recovery, have regained 30ish..." + (show)

@ashley2235 thank you. Your reply gives me hope to survive this. Just starting on my journey, diagnosed 2/24/26 with stage IV. I’m 47 and a mother of 4, ages 11 to 20. Starting a clinical trial next week (have KRAS G12D mutation) and Nalirifox. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t terrified to start chemo but even more so of the thought of not being present for my children as they grow. Trying to be active, had been doing CrossFit 4-5 week prior to diagnosis. But, just so fatigued now that makes it difficult. Thank you for sharing your story.

ashley2235 | @ashley2235 | 5 days ago

I also found out I had KRAS G12D after my lung nodule biopsy. Which trial are you doing?

Chemo was terrifying for me before starting, but manageable. Since you are so active. I would recommend walking every single day. Even when you feel like you have no strength. I remember going from running 3miles to just slowly walking back and forth in front of my house with my chemo pump in a bag. Had to stay close to the bathroom. Haha. The desire to see my kids grow up gives me strength I didnt even know I could muster. Hang in there! 💜