Stage 1B pancreatic tail cancer - surgical removal, now chemo

My 72 year old husband was diagnosed with cancer of the pancreas, on the tail, 4cm tumour, (adenocarcinoma),no mastitis, nothing in lymph nodes in mid November 2025. Found incidentally in a CT scan after falling off his bicycle. Seems his Dr. has taken a different approach. He qualifies for surgery, robust, healthy and physically fit but they are doing chemo first. Fulfirinox and FU5 for 8 rounds with a CT scan after 4 for progress report...then surgery🙏 He has had 3 chemos with very few side effects, hair thinning, good appetite, walks 5 miles a day, has some cold neuropathy in hands and mouth, sometimes feels tired. Working VERY hard to avoid flu and colds. Pleased to hear of your experience and hope to hear more good news as you both seem to be on similar paths.

Thank you, best of luck to your husband, that sounds very promising. The robotic surgery for the tail, went very well. My recovery was steady each day, with the key getting up and walking in the early stages of it. Your husbance sounds quite active like I am. That is great. Thank you for the chemo info, that is scaring me a bit, the potential side effects. Best of luck to you and your husband!

Thanks so much for the information. It really gives me hope along with lots of prayers. My husband also had his gall bladder removed so the eating has been slow and down 20+ lbs. That is scary but eats a bit more every day. We really are one day at a time and today is now 22 days from original surgery. We see 2nd oncologist next Friday.

Good thought and blessing your way and thanks again for responding.

@sorbiodunum Thanks for the info. We discussed chemo before and after surgery with oncologist. We were advised after for my 82 year old husband as best approach would be after. Side effects he is experiencing are same as discussed with us. Yes, keep us away from any sick people with colds and flu.

Will keep you informed of good news. We only think about good and positive as approach.

Yes my husband had a similar experience, cancer found incidentally on a PET scan for something else (in July 2023.) His tumor, 4 cm, was in the tail. But our cancer center was very clear, studies show people do better with the chemo first followed by 5FU chemo. They said something like -- it is a hard surgery to recover from and the chemo is really necessary to make sure it does not spread. So Mike had 6 months of chemo, 12 rounds. The side effects seem to get worse as it goes along, the last 6 weeks were the worst - mouth sores, neuropathy and fatigue. They lowered one of the meds (oxaliplatin) that is the worst for neuropathy and didn't even give it for his last round. An a negative about this approach was that his spleen was so large by the time they did surgery they had to do an open approach. He recovered pretty quickly - clean borders, no mets in a lymph nodes - But he was positive for cancer in the nerves. He went 20 months with clear scans. He went a year with CA 19-9 at zero. In 2/2025 the CA 19-9 started slow rising -- but all scans were clear, no tumors. By 10/30/25 his CA 19-9 was 4500 and there was a shadow on his stomach with the Pet scan (the CT did not show anything in July). They did an endoscope and ultrasound of his stomach and found pancreatic cancer. His oncologist stays that part of his stomach was up against the pancreas before surgery... and it is possible there were just a few cancer cells initially. At any rate he is now being treated for recurrent pancreatic cancer, started chemo 11/2025. Gemcitabine and Abraxane. Every other week - for as long as it is working. Side effects are not as bad as the 5 FU was. His prognosis - 18 to 24 months, maybe 3 years. He is 68.

Thank you for sharing that. And I am sorry to hear about the reoccurence. Did your husband also have a round of chemo post surgery? It is interesting that it was recommended to have chemo before surgery. In my case, that was not discussed, the decision was to go to surgery quickly. They did surgery two weeks after the initial incidental finding of the mass in the pancreatic tail.

Outstanding news for you young man. Keep strong!

Sorry young lady! Me bad!

Could you please share with us, where you are being treated and who is your Ocologist and Surgeon? Thank you.

Weill-Cornell in NYC, a great medical team. Dr. Leiberman was my oncologist surgeon and Doctor Shah is my oncologist.