Whipple procedure: What is the recovery like?

@pendesk8, it sounds like you need to keep asking questions until the explanation makes sense. There are reasonable reasons that surgery may not be possible. Generally speaking some pancreatic cancers are inoperable or unresectable if the tumor is too large to remove or your cancer has already spread to other parts of your body. This can include locally advanced cancer. Locally advanced cancer is cancer that has spread outside the pancreas. It may have spread to the large blood vessels near the pancreas, or to a number of lymph nodes.

Sometimes, stage 3 cancer is borderline resectable cancer. This means that the cancer has grown very close to the major blood vessels near the pancreas. You may be able to have surgery to remove the cancer, but it depends which blood vessels are affected.

If your cancer isn't operable, there are treatment options, which may include chemo, radiation, immunotherapy and/or targeted therapies.

I would ask more questions and consider getting a second opinion from a major cancer center or center of excellence like Mayo Clinic.

Hi, My husband has completed chemotherapy and radiation treatments and is waiting to have surgery. He is in the process of building up his stamina so he will do better with his recovery. Due to the chemo and the diabetis he now has nueropothy in his hands and feet. He is 73 and this has aged him. Pretty scary when the PET scan does not show any metastisis, but the doctor says it has, it's just too small to show up on imaging right now. Pretty grim when they tell you the survival rate to 5 years is only 10%!

ticklefeather,

What does the doctor base that assessment on?

Blood marker tests should provide some indication ... CA 19-9 and CEA ... have these been done every chemo cycle? What are the numbers now?

PET is not as detailed as CT, but shows hot spots ... what did the CT provide?

My pancreatectomy and spleenectomy was done at Mayo last week by Dr. Thiels. I am doing fine! The greatest news is that it has not spread elsewhere. I am eternally grateful.

I'm 76 and also had foot and hand neuropathy, a common side effect of some chemo. They watched mine closely and used it as one indicator of how I was tolerating treatment and adjusted doses accordingly. In my case and with friends who had it, it usually dissipates with activity. Still have some in my larger toes, some dead spots on my finger pads and tingling, and some residual numbness can hang around. Would be an issue for a ballerina but not for most activities. Found that vigorous excercise after recovery really helped - things like swimming. Be sure and clearly communicate all side effects.

Hello,
They have not done any recent bloodwork on my husband. I will ask about that. Thank you.

Lovely to hear! Gives me such hope! Chemo 3 was very hard with side effects - my Mayo checkup is mid December with scans. Yes, truly grateful that yours has not spread. Hugs.

CA 19-9 and CEA do not show anything with me. My body does not make them so it’s scans only to determine progress.

lvtexas,

I have not read anywhere that C 19-9 and CEA blood tests don't work on some patients ... why would they not? It sounds like you probably know why? Can you provide citation or link?

CA19-9 also does not work for me. My oncologist even stated that he wasn't looking at it for recurance. I have PDAC and it never was particularly elevated. I would be interested to learn why it's relevant for some people and not others.