Pancreatic Cancer Group: Introduce yourself and connect with others

@grams2015
So it sounds like you're not on chemo? Or maybe things have changed since the 10th?
I was diagnosed 1.5 months ago with adenocarcinoma, well-differentiated, in the tail of the pancreas, 2.7 x 1.4 cm. I was hoping for immediate surgery but now they're saying the mass has encased the splenic artery and surgery may not be possible. Disappointed and confused. But I meet the surgical oncologist tomorrow at OHSU in Portland, OR.
How are you doing? Have you had more surgery? Hope things are moving forward for you...

@grams2015
So it sounds like you're not on chemo? Or maybe things have changed since the 10th?
I was diagnosed 1.5 months ago with adenocarcinoma, well-differentiated, in the tail of the pancreas, 2.7 x 1.4 cm. I was hoping for immediate surgery but now they're saying the mass has encased the splenic artery and surgery may not be possible. Disappointed and confused. But I meet the surgical oncologist tomorrow at OHSU in Portland, OR.
How are you doing? Have you had more surgery? Hope things are moving forward for you...

I went in to remove what was thought to be a stone in my bile duct by ERCP. Once there no stone found but a mass on head of my pancreas. He removed it and thought it looked good and not cancer however it came back cancer.

I was diagnosed in December 2024. Tumor acinar cell 4.2x4.8 cm. Involving SMV and SMA so no surgery for me either. Did 6 months of gemcitabine and abraxane with no tumor change. Am currently doing SBRT radiation with last treatment this Monday. If the tumor shrinks at least 25 percent I will be eligible to or nano-knife procedure. Tumor has to be under 3.5 cm. for nano-knife .I won't know for at least 2 months after CT scan. That gives the white blood cells time to clean up the dead tissue and get an accurate picture. Would love to know if you end up with the nano-knife and how it goes for you.

He was treated for the ascites by paracentesis, starting every few weeks then increasing to weekly when the amount of fluid increased greatly. He passed away about 3 months after the ascites surfaced. His liver metastasis escalated pretty quickly when he became too weak from all his other complications (sepsis, GI bleed, anemia) to continue chemo.

He was treated for the ascites by paracentesis, starting every few weeks then increasing to weekly when the amount of fluid increased greatly. He passed away about 3 months after the ascites surfaced. His liver metastasis escalated pretty quickly when he became too weak from all his other complications (sepsis, GI bleed, anemia) to continue chemo.

Is there anything being done to treat the ascites?

The bilary stent was put in his common bile duct because he became jaundiced due to the tumor pressing on the CBD and restricting it. He was diagnosed with locally advanced unresectable PC at that time, stage III. The stent became infected twice from tumor growth into it. A radio frequency ablation was done after the 2nd infection to prevent that from happening again.
The liver enzymes became higher when the infections occurred. He developed ascites shortly after the 2nd infection that caused the sepsis. Once he developed ascites the liver enzymes stayed higher than normal. Metastasis to his liver showed up about 6 weeks after the ascites.
Higher liver enzymes can have other causes too, such as gallbladder issues, so it’s hard to know if it’s directly caused by PC. Since time is so critical it’s important to get answers asap. Each case is so different.
I’m sorry you are dealing with all of this. It’s so overwhelming.

Thanks for sharing this! I'm so sorry things took such a negative turn for your husband. I'm going to push the team for more answers about my father's liver.

If you're willing to share, I was curious to know more about the circumstances around your husband's stent procedure. Did he have that while being treated for pancreatic cancer? Was the liver issue a side-effect of the cancer treatment?