Pancreatic cancer spreading to liver

Posted by crickard70 @crickard70, Oct 16, 2023

I had a pet scan and came back very questionable so now many more test mri scope and scan. Anyone have the cancer spread to liver bi am very nervous I have heard that is the final stop! Thank you to all with this horrible disease

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

Do not feel it is your last stop! I was diagnosed with stage 4 with metastasis to liver 12/2021. had 12 chemo (FOFLORINOX). Followed by SBRT (5 pancreas 3 liver). It appears that liver is now clear. Off chemo from 6/22 until 4/23. Started back same chemo but w/o oxiplatin because of neuropathy.scans show no disease progression but CA-19 has been rising . checking into trials. If not using center of excellence make sure you at least use one for a 2nd opinion. We are all pulling for you!!

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@markymarkfl

@michaelhunn7474 ,

Surgery might still be an option, but it depends on how much spread there is. You could ask about HIPEC surgery in general. You could also ask about a specific HIPEC trial going on at Mayo in Rochester with Dr. Mark Truty, Dr. Cornelius Thiels, and others. It might be this one, with Dr. Travis Grotz listed as the principal investigator: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04858009

I also have peritoneal mets, but was not accepted for this study.

There's another one starting up at MD Anderson that was primarily designed for ovarian cancer but is accepting pancreatic cancer patients. Both often get peritoneal mets. This one takes a tissue sample from one of your tumors, and trains some of your "NK" (natural killer) cells to attack it, and then injects those back into your peritoneum via a port. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05922930

There is also a trial pair underway called BASECAMP and EVEREST. These are based on training CAR T-cells to attack your specific tumor(s). You might qualify if your blood and tumors have certain properties. Mayo, Anderson, and many other big centers are participating in these:
BASECAMP-1: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04981119
EVEREST-1: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05736731
EVEREST-2: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06051695

There are others that depend on specific mutations you may have. Pancan.org and cancercommons.org are both very helpful resources when researching clinical trials.

Wishing you the best!

--mm

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Most definitely look into HIPEC and Dr. Grotz at Mayo in Rochester. I've had the procedure twice to kill the cancer in my paratenium. I can't say that it was 100% effective ... then again I can't say that it wasn't. the battle has now moved to my liver. The thing is ... you have to keep fighting! Cancer is an ugly and nasty beast ... but it is beatable! THERE ARE SURVIVORS! Keep fighting .. never give up!

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@crickard70

I am a 2 1/2 year survivor of pancreatic cancer had the Whipple, chemo and radiation. Ca-19just came back after last bloodwork elevated higher than before treatments.Having mri of liver today and Thursday scope and ultrasound.I have right side dull pain all the time and have advanced to #10 pain. Now on oxy and gummies. I guess I need to know more from tests, but have read that pancreatic cancer goes to liver in final stages. I have had the testing through pancan for possible treatments. I have not recontacted them yet I am assuming the doctor will. Thank you open to any advice and nervous.

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I am a 1 year survivor of mucinous pancreatic cancer with 2 lesions on my liver. I had a CT last month, which showed one of the liver lesions had grown a little and the pancreas tumor was 1/2 centimeter larger. I had been having tweaks of discomfort in my upper abdomen & esophagus and after the CT, I was immediately put on a different chemo treatment. Today I had my 3rd treatment & I have been handling it well. I haven't exprienced nausea or diarrhea, just very tired for 5 to 6 days & numbness in my feet & hands. My pancan was found early & the tumor & lesions were small. I was told mucinous pancreatic cancer can't be cured, just maintained.
I started reading a book, "How to Starve Cancer". I'm reading the book first before I change anything in my diet and I tell my doctor what I'm doing too. It sounds like the keto diet might help remove the glucose(sugar) that cancer cells feed on. The only concern is the once you start removing the glucose foods from your diet & feed on your fat reserves, you start to loss weight. This is not a good thing when you are fighting cancer. My brother-in-law did the keto diet, so I can always fall back on what he has done.
As you were describing the pain you are having, it must be awful. I have been told pancan can cause alot of pain. I thank God I don't have that, yet. It's good that you are having all this testing done to find out what is going on. My mom had gallbladder cancer that had metastasized in her liver, actually the gallbladder had grown into the liver. She had cancer everywhere because it was diagnosed so late and she lived only 4 months after that. I'm telling you this not to scare you but to show you how different your condition could be. My mom had at least a 1/4 of her liver removed, several lymph nodes and gallbladder. It was a tough surgery & she was in a lot of pain.
Your liver may have some lesions or tumors but may not be so large, as well as your pancreas tumor. You will probably get some genetic testing on the tumors to see if there are targeted treatments for these. My cancer cells haven't mutated into anything that has targeted treatment, only clinical trials. Don't give up hope until you have heard from your doctor all the results. Everyone's journey is different, we don't have the same type of pancan, as well as other patients. There might be new chemo treatments that will work for you. I know it's hard seeing Ca-19 numbers going up, which mine had been doing. My doctor told me, not to take them too seriously. He has seen patients with really high Ca-19 numbers that were healthy & doing well & has also seen patients with low Ca-19 numbers that weren't doing well. I guess it's the mystery of cancer.
I hope and pray you will be told positive news. Take care of yourself.

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