Advice

jhunt2 · New User Joined: 16 Nov 2007 Posts: 3

Hello! I have been reading this site for the past month and it's has been very helpful. Each of you are in my prayers.

My father was suffering from persistant back pain which started last year and worsened in July of this year. He was hospitalized back in the spring with pneaumonia, while there they kept asking him if he was a cancer patient, which he wasn't.

Back in September my father had an MRI to figure out the source of his back pain, that is when they told him they felt like he had a tumor, to make a long story short he ended up having a biopsy and they found mestastic cancer, more test showed it to be pancreatic cancer, which had spread to his liver and back with some spots on his lungs that they are not sure about.

My father started chemo last week and since then he had constantly slept. I don't know if it's the meds (morphine, adavan, chemo) or if it's from the cancer. The only real symptom is the horrible back pain he has. He is taking 3 morphine tablets every 6 hours.

My question is, there was no mass found on the pancreas, yet they are certain it is him primary. Is it good that there was no mass found here, or does that even make a difference?

brainman · Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2007 11:12 am Post subject: Re: Advice

Hi jhunt2, I am very sorry about your fathers Pancreatic Cancer.

The pathologist can identify the source of the cancer by examining the cells for metastatic sites. There probably is cancer in your father's pancreas, it is just too small to detect with an MRI. I believe it would still be classified as a stage IV cancer. I think it probably is good that he does not have a mass in his pancreas because a mass could affect the function of the pancreas. Other than the option of surgery, the treatment will be the same.

Your father is in my thoughts and prayers.
_________________
Jim
Site Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendoglioma grade 3, same location.
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Blog http://jimhawkinsport.blogspot.com/

reenie · Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2007 11:34 am Post subject: Re: Advice

My husband's pancreas had only necrotic cells which had been missed by every test including the ERCP but finally found using EUS/FNA. My understanding was that because the cancer had spread,(liver, lung mesentary) there was no surgical option for him. I have been told that so many who have had the whipple have recurrences because these microscopic cells have already traveled by the time they have a dx and then the procedure. In my husband's case, he did not suffer from many of the food enzyme issues others have reported so in that sense, I guess it was good that there was no mass in the pancreas. Sorry not to have better news for you. Peace, Reenie

jhunt2 · New User Joined: 16 Nov 2007 Posts: 3

Thank you both for your replies. My father had the PET Scan, but even with it, they were not able to determine if there was anything in his lungs, just that they suspect there was. He is 60 years old and until recently was pretty active. Drove a gas truck for over 28 years and has had to retire because his back pain became so bad. Since his first treatment he has done nothing but sleep and or lay around. It is very unpleasent to watch, I feel like his days are numbered.

JKB · New User Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 5

I would advice you to seek your treating physcian.

1: optimize the pain control.
Often morphine in a slow releasing forumlar has less side effects than morphine tablets.
The pain from PC often has a neurolgical effect(due to growth into the nerves located near the pancreas). There for drugs used to treat neurologic pains can have an effect (noritren, gabapentin, pregabalin, or methadon(morphine with a long halflife(72 hours) that has some effect on nerological pains).
If he is still sleepy you can consider askign for ritalin (5-20 mg given morning and midday). it is basically amphetamine that counteracts some of the side effects of the pain medication.

2: If the chemotherapy( I am guessing gemcitabine) has no effect, it should be discontinued, or delayed. Unless his daily performance improves, I would suggest helping him with the best possible supportive care(including a loving family).
If the pain has lessend since start of chemotherapy that can be taken as a sign of effect, but also look at the pain medication

jhunt2 · New User Joined: 16 Nov 2007 Posts: 3

Friday they halted all chemo on my father. They told him that is was not slowing the cancer down and that he had several new lesions on his liver. They have set him up with hospice to help with his horrible pain and last night put him on a morphine pump. He was told 2 weeks to 2 months, but we all know, that they don't. I just wish he wouldn't suffer.

brainman · Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2008 11:01 am Post subject: Re: Advice

jhunt2, my heart goes out to you and your father Sad

. I wish Cancer did not cause so much grief and suffering. Hopefully, your father's medical team can find the right amount of morphine to control his pain. The downside of morphine is that it will make your father sleep more. The real problem with sleeping more is that it will, in a sense, deprive you of precious time with your father. Although it might be hard for you to see him suffer, he might want to be in some pain but alert enough to still be able to spend some time with you and the rest of your family.

I do not know if this reply is of any comfort to you. I just know how it was with my mother and father who both had to be on morphine during the last weeks of their lives. Since I was their primary care giver, I spent a lot of time with them and treasure every minute... even when they were sleeping.

You and your father continue to be in my thoughts and prayers.
_________________
Jim
Site Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendoglioma grade 3, same location.
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Blog http://jimhawkinsport.blogspot.com/

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