Pancreatic Cancer Group: Introduce yourself and connect with others

@tomrennie
Hi Tom,
I met with an/my oncologist yesterday with news that I was not expecting. He told me that I have stage IV pancreatic cancer. The cancer in the liver was caused by pancreatic cells. I believe that I will be starting chemo therapy on Tuesday, April 21 until October. Each therapy takes about 90 minutes. There are three weeks of chemo and then one week off, then it keeps repeating.
The cancer is incurable and also inoperable. I am not sure of radiation. I will ask my doctor.
Thank you mayo Clinic Support Group! You are very helpful
Exercise is good and I see a nutritionist on Monday. I also have a CT scan Monday to get a baseline. Right now I feel real good!

Today 3/13 day after our 51st wedding anniversary my husband is receiving the Whipple. Wasn't what he was planning on. Yet he decided to move forward with this journey. I'm so great full to this group. I'll keep you all in our prayers & asking for the same today & beyond. This will be a stressful long wait in the waiting area. We're a team & I'll be positive .

@gvk911 I wouldn't be surprised if your prostate cancer is related. About 90% of prostate cancer diagnoses are also adenocarcinoma. Good luck with your CT scan today. Let us know how it goes? I have a different type of pancreatic cancer. I have not been on Gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel (Abraxane), but others here have. There are some ways to help manage the side effects of the treatment. Anyone that has experience with this treatment, do you have any suggestions? Thanks.

Today 3/13 day after our 51st wedding anniversary my husband is receiving the Whipple. Wasn't what he was planning on. Yet he decided to move forward with this journey. I'm so great full to this group. I'll keep you all in our prayers & asking for the same today & beyond. This will be a stressful long wait in the waiting area. We're a team & I'll be positive .

Today 3/13 day after our 51st wedding anniversary my husband is receiving the Whipple. Wasn't what he was planning on. Yet he decided to move forward with this journey. I'm so great full to this group. I'll keep you all in our prayers & asking for the same today & beyond. This will be a stressful long wait in the waiting area. We're a team & I'll be positive .

@casey1959 Congrats on your anniversary but I understand it’s not the celebration you’d like to have had due to your husband’s Whipple. Only the best thoughts and prayers for both of you, for successful procedure and good recovery.

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

@tomrennie I was on Gem/Abrax and it caused much more peripheral neuropathy than the Folfirinox I'd had previously. It seems to be very subjective and some people are afflicted and others not. You might talk to your oncologist about cold therapy and the booties/mittens before starting Gem/Abrax. I sure wish I'd have know about the cold therapy before starting on it. "I have a different type of pancreatic cancer." Is it the acinar cell type?

@artistrose was rough, I've never witnessed my husband post trauma Surgery. He's had EUS...stents ECT. This was hard for me to see. Again my feelings of guilt that he's enduring it & I'm not. Saddens me he keeps telling me he's sorry to be putting me through all this. I intern say ( In sickness & in health)