Anyone had pancreatic cancer mets to lymph nodes only?

Posted by amchurch @amchurch, Jul 17, 2023

Hi there, weird question...I have seen a lot of mets to liver, spleen, duodenum, colon, lung....has anyone just had mets to lymph nodes? Didn't know if this was more or less difficult to treat than say going to other organs?

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@stevm

My situation was similar in that I had a 2.0cm tumor located in the tail of the pancreas. I had a distal panreatectomy/splenectomy (laproscopic/robotic) on May 17. Less than three weeks after consultation with the surgical oncologist. A biopsy done in early April was inconclusive and the recommendation was to proceed with surgery as a second biopsy might also be inconclusive. Patholgy following surgery concluded localized metastatic adenocarcinoma. 6/26 lymph nodes were positive. Four of the six nodes involved via direct extension. Margins were clean. I started my first of 8 cycles of Oxaliplatin/irinotecan/5Fu on June 13. After my first 4 cycles scans and blood work indicate "no evidince of cancer present". My CA19-9 prior to surgery was 53, two weeks post surgery 15, after 4th chemo cycle 7. As you have indicated there is likely microscopic disease somewhere which is why I'll continue with the remaining course of chemo to be followed by 28 days of radiation. Good luck to your husband on his journey. It's a long and challenging road. Four months ago I was feeling bleak. Today I at least feel like there is hope.

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Wow, your situation was very similar to my husband's and I believe that the speed at which the surgeons moved is key to a good prognosis. I wish you all the best with the remainder of your treatment plan.

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My recovery was not quick enough to have chemo after Whipple - I had 2 of 14 lymph nodes positive at pathology. I’m 4 1/2 months post surgery and no oncologist will give me chemo. Anyone else hear “missed window for Chemo to be effective?” I did have 8 cycles of Folfirinox before.

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I understand why they might not give you the big F again, but have you asked why not Gemzar? Or at least Xeloda?

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@amchurch, how are you doing? What treatment has been recommended for you?

@lisn, how is your husband doing?

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@colleenyoung

@amchurch, how are you doing? What treatment has been recommended for you?

@lisn, how is your husband doing?

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Hi Colleen. The post was for my brother. He is having his fifth cycle of folfirinox tomorrow. He has had at least a 40% decrease in the CA 19-9 with each of the last two treatments. And he feels great. We have been reaching out to other oncologist/surgical oncologists w/in the US.

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@colleenyoung

@amchurch, how are you doing? What treatment has been recommended for you?

@lisn, how is your husband doing?

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Hi Colleen, thank you for asking. He's doing ok, just had his chemo consult and he will be starting chemo the first week in September. This forum has been so helpful. He will be doing folfirinox. The oncologist also mentioned a clinical trial which he's very interested in. We were given the literature to look over, but it's essentially the pancreatic cancer vaccine along with immunotherapy in addition to the folfirinox to give even more protection against any cancer cells. This is the second phase of the clinical trial.

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@lisn

Hi Colleen, thank you for asking. He's doing ok, just had his chemo consult and he will be starting chemo the first week in September. This forum has been so helpful. He will be doing folfirinox. The oncologist also mentioned a clinical trial which he's very interested in. We were given the literature to look over, but it's essentially the pancreatic cancer vaccine along with immunotherapy in addition to the folfirinox to give even more protection against any cancer cells. This is the second phase of the clinical trial.

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Hi @lisn, can you provide the name or NCT number of that trial? Thanks and best wishes!

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If I've copied it correctly, hopefully the link will take you to the info about it:
https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/clinical-trials/23-136
If it doesn't, please let me know.

Thank you

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@lisn

If I've copied it correctly, hopefully the link will take you to the info about it:
https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/clinical-trials/23-136
If it doesn't, please let me know.

Thank you

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Awesome, that works. Thanks and good luck!!!

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We were actually just informed that as of today, they are not offering that clinical trial to patients who have had a splenectomy.. They deemed it too dangerous for those patients so my husband will not be able to participate in that trial..

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