Inoperable, Do Docs differ on this??

JustAPip · Regular Joined: 31 Jan 2010 Posts: 14

Let me start out by saying that I do not have the details of my ex husband's diagnosis. He was diagnosed around Oct. 09, but had been having pain after eating and having weight loss due to that, a few months before his diagnosis. From what I am told, he has tumors that are inoperable because of being on a vessel. So, he was given radiation treatment along with chemo. Was not effective. Tumor has grown and is wrapping around vessel. They are unable to administer more chemo because of his blood test results. My question is this: Would getting a second opinion from another doc do any good? Doctors are human and each maybe have their own opinion on whether to be agressive or not. I have read where some have had surgery with vessel involvement. He is not able to go outside of his insurance network for a second opinion, what a shame that is. Wondering if anyone has had this experience. Thank you.[/b]

Babs40

Hi,
My husband was diagnosed last March with PC. His is in the tail end of his pancreas and had already encroached on the splenic artery and portal vein. He had no symptoms whatsoever. Tumor was discovered during a routine scan of his lungs which are terrible. Tumor is inoperable. He had six weeks of chemo and radiation - didn't budge it. He was then put on Gemzar for seven treatments. He could only have five due to the effect it had on his lungs - he is now very shortwinded from the effects. The end of July he opted for no more treatment whatsoever and we are now at the end of the sixth month and thank God, he is still doing well with no symptoms of progression as of yet. God has truly blessed us with this quality time together. As far as we are concerned, we did not opt for another opinion per friends' advice to go here and there. Pancreatic cancer is one of the worst, sad to say, but true. It is the least funded of all of the cancer researches. PC isn't going to go anywhere. I am trying to be factual because of all of the reading I have been doing on it. Regardless of all the treatment patients endure with this, PC usually wins. I dread to think of what the upcoming months will be holding for us, but as I said, the past six months have been phenomenal. I am keeing the faith but have been realistic at the same time.

JustAPip · Regular Joined: 31 Jan 2010 Posts: 14

Babs, thank you so much for your reply. It is strange how people and their bodies are different. No symptoms for your husband, wow! All that I know about my ex is that he has been on morphine and some other narcotic for awhile and gives him bowel problems. So, I guess it is a matter of time? Good luck to you and your husband.

brainman

JustAPip, I am very sorry about your ex-husband's cancer. Pancreatic cancer is one of the worse cancers a person can have because of its negative effect on quality of life and because there is so little effective options. Most long term survivors that I know, go the many treatments along the way. One will work for a while but then stop so they need another one.

As for a second opinion, that depends. If you (rather, your ex) what to look into a research protocol but you are not at a major cancer center, you will need to go. Other than that, most hematologists/oncologist are about the same and will prescribe one of the standard treatment options available to them. Of course, if for some reason your ex does not trust his current medical team, that too would be a reason to change.

You and your husband are in my prayers as you think about your options.
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