Wondering if they are waiting too long for my dad's surgery

busymama7 · New User Joined: 04 Sep 2009 Posts: 2 Location: Michigan

Hi. My Dad was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer back in March. He was jaundiced, and I took him to the emergency room. After they diagnosed him with cancer, they beleived his tumor to be 2 cm with no additional spread. They took him in for a Whipple procedure. When they went in, the surgeon was unable to proceed when he found the cancer was infiltrating the portal vein We were told by the surgeon at that time that there would be nothing else that could be done. It was several weeks before they finally got him in to see an oncologist. The oncologist said he wanted to try doing 5 weeks of chemo and radiation. He actually ended up doing 5 weeks of chemo first, and then 5 weeks of both. He did really well through the treatment, very few side effects. The goal was to shrink the cancer off the vein so that a Whipple procedure could be done.

After the ten weeks of treatment his oncologist said that he should wait a few weeks and then have a CT scan. He had the CT scan and was also told that if he was going to have another surgery it should be done within 4-6 weeks after radiation, or the tissue will harden into scar tissue and will be difficult to take out.
After 3 weeks he had the scan...and a few days later, was told that the cancer shrank some, but it would be difficult to really tell until he was opened up. The oncologist sent him back to the same surgeon that operated the first time. He got in to see the surgeon, and he said that he wouldn't try another surgery, but would send him down to Indianapolis, but he wanted to do an endoscopy first. This took another little while. After the results of that came back, it was basically inconclusive as to whether the cancer was off the vein. The surgeon went ahead and referred him to Dr. Howard in Indianapolis, because he will do vein resection. We just saw Dr. Howard yesterday. Dr. Howard said he was willing to do the surgery, but they don't have it scheduled for another 3 weeks.
I'm getting concerned because it has already now been 7 weeks since his radiation was done. This will be 10 weeks after. Does anyone know what kind of risk this puts my dad in, that everyone has put this off for so long. After what our oncologist said I'm getting frustrated with the timing of all this. Also, does anyone have any experience with portal vein resection, or with surgery after so many weeks of radiation. Any help would be appreciated!!
Thanks all!
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caretaker to my Dad who was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer in March of this year. Waiting for a Whipple procedure this month.

kezza1 · Regular Joined: 12 Jan 2009 Posts: 10

your dad story is basically the very same as mine.Altho my initial ercp showed a 5cm tumour ,when they performed the fist whipple attempt they found portal vein involvment,they closed me back up let me heal then i had 4 months of chemo and a month of radiation running concurrently with my final month of chemo. From the end of my chemo and radio to the next whipple attempt was 9 weeks. During that time i had another ercp which still showed vein involvment. My new surgeon was not concerned about that because he had decided a vein resection was my best chance for clear margins.He perfomed a very successful whipple with no matastises and no lymph node involvment 2cm tumour labs calling it a stage 1.At the moment i am clear, cancer markers unreadable so low.I was told i could wait 10 weeks and have my original surgeon he would be back from holidays then or I could go with a new surgeon he would recommend there was only 1 week in it but i was geared to have this over and done with so went that little bit earlier with the new surgeon.From what i was told the extra week or 2 of waiting was not going to cause problems I was just able to have it a little early. I know the waiting is hard my wife tells me now it was almost killing her watching me wait. Iam fine at the moment if you have any questions please ask I check this site out every day just so I can give people like you hope good luck to you and your dad

busymama7 · New User Joined: 04 Sep 2009 Posts: 2 Location: Michigan

How long ago did you have this second surgery...and how much more difficult was your recovery the second time? I'm also wondering how old you are, and whether you had any initial lymph node involvement. When my dad was opened up the first time, some of the lymph nodes tested positive. His tumor was 6 cm's at that point too.

Thanks for replying so soon. I'm glad to hear of someone in the same position as my Dad that is doing very well!!
God's blessings to you!
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caretaker to my Dad who was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer in March of this year. Waiting for a Whipple procedure this month.

kezza1 · Regular Joined: 12 Jan 2009 Posts: 10

had my last op back in january. Recovery was harder than the first op cause this time they actually did the whipple. This changes all you plumbing so it does take a bit to get over ,I also suffered a pulmonary embolism due to the blood clots that this type of cancer in known for. This added to my recuperation time. I was out of hopital 11 days after the whipple but back in again that same night when I had my pulmonary another 14 days in hospital. Had more chemo after recovery to mop up any nasties that may still be lurking about but it knocked the hell out of me damaged my kidneys but they are on the mend now and i am feeling fine altho just last weekend suffered a incisional hernia already seen my surgeon he will fix that in october,no biggy that one, just something that happens sometimes.I am 47 and was in general good health altho a little over weight before all this but now i am feeling good.Hope this gives you and yours hope good luck to you both.

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