Radiation and Cancer

Hi , I am a prostate guy . But a guy at the pool had PC and it migrated to his bones and Pancreas at other . He was given 6 month without treatment and maybe 1.5 years with treatments and radiation. that was 7 years ago ! My point being have extreme faith , look for new drugs and methods to try .... you have this ! We are here for you ! James from Vancouver Island .

@vancouverislandhiker
Great story! I know we would all love to hear more details. Which treatment did he do? Radiation to where? Is he on a maintenance drug now?

Thank you for sharing!

Marryanne - I know he is quite young ,at about 55 . I didnt get a ton of details at first from him but it was stage 4 and all over the place . I think this surprised him as he said he felt "fine" , when he was diagnosed . I told him I was a "prostate guy" too ... we chatted in the sauna . From my memory , he got Chemo, and he said that was OK for him , Then ADT for 6 months , then radiation and some spot radiation ... Geez he is fine 7 years later - living the life ! I think he said he was glad to be off of ADT , so Im gathering he is off now . Maybe he is one of those guys that goes on - off ADT ? He travels quite bit now too as we both like to travel to 'outback places' . But he was fine . VERY tough shape when discovered though . He got treated and is fine now . He retired early to travel. I occasionally see him on the hiking trails with his dogs and at the Aquatic Centre - I will ask more about how he is dong now , and if Dr's recommend anything more , etc ....

April 2026 research:
For patients receiving ablative radiotherapy for inoperable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), an expanded treatment area may improve local disease control, a retrospective cohort study found.
Among 121 consecutive patients, nearly all of whom received definitive MR-guided radiotherapy with a clinical target volume (CTV) design, only 14% experienced locoregional failure at a median follow-up of 14 months. And among 36 patients given radiotherapy to the widest treatment area — the “triangle volume” — none experienced failure locoregional area.

“This study further defines the best way to have a complete strategy to treat not only the local tumor, but the extensions of the local tumor along the vessels and the lymph nodes,” Christopher Crane, MD, of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.

International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360301626005328

I did 18 weeks of the triplet (Abraxane, gemcitabine, and cisplatin) — 2 weeks on, 1 week off. After a six-week break, I completed 33 days of radiation.

Today I’m 7 years and 3 months out, and my CA 19-9 is 18.

Just sharing in case it gives someone hope — long-term outcomes are possible.

My pancreatic cancer appeared to be under control until last week when they found metastasis to the bones in my neck. It's suggested that I have radiation asap. How did radiation affect you? What side effects did you experience? Any suggestions before I have the radiation?

I had radation for my pancreas. It don’t hurt fairly quick. I can’t really say I have any long term effects on it. Guess it’s were the cancer is

@reme51 My wife (PDAC Stage 3) had SBRT (using MRI guided Linac system) at Dana Farber. 5 days of intensive radiation. Biggest side effect was fatigue which lasted months. Other than fatigue, she felt some stomach upset but nothing like folfirinox! 7 months later she is still NEDS!

@mcharlesfrancis Thank you for sharing your story. Were you on a Maintence drug after radiation?

@mcharlesfrancis Did you take a chemo pill during radiation? Did you have to take any Maintence drug or chemo?