Whipple in the Elderly

internethandle · New User Joined: 16 Mar 2009 Posts: 1

Hi, new to this forum. It looks like this is, by far, the best online discussion going for those of us dealing with this this terrible disease.

My grandmother is 83 and has a pancreatic head mass. We, fortunately, live close enough to UCLA Medical Center, which has some of the best PC care in the country, as well as a surgeon who has done more than anyone West of the Mississippi (Dr. Reber). They have not done a EUS FNA Biopsy yet, because of the potential for pancreatitis or other complications which might delay surgery, so we don't know for certain that it's cancer (but the statistical likelihood, we hear, approaches 96% that it is). However, her Pancreatic Protocol CT Scan indicated that she has no portal vein or other vein involvement, so she is a candidate for Whipple, barring that they open her up and find that it actually does have vein involvement.

We've so far consulted with two surgeons, one of which is the aforementioned guy who has done more Whipples anyone else in the Western U.S. We will likely go with the him, if she decides to do the surgery. Both of them claim that age does not factor in, particularly, for Whipple outcome. My grandmother is in otherwise excellent health for an 83 year old, they also emphasize. However, for her, it is a concern, and I was wondering if anyone else on here has a loved one or they themselves are within this age range and had a successful Whipple?

At this point, we're debating whether or not to do the surgery at all. There are so many variables. It seems a matter of whether the potential side effects and complications of the Whipple are worse than those of going through the heavier chemo involved with not doing the surgery at all. It is not, to say the least, an easy decision, although there's also the fact that she is within such a small percentage of people, with her type of pancreatic mass, who are candidates for the Whipple at all.

Anyway, general Whipple advice is appreciated, but I'm particularly interested in hearing about any Whipple stories from those who had elderly loved ones or are elderly themselves.

starseed · Experienced user Joined: 06 Sep 2006 Posts: 51

I'm not expert, but...

My mom did the full Whipple at 76.

She did really really well and can now eat anything.

If you are dealing with pancreatic cancer in your mom and she is healthy, I would do the Whipple right away. Especially shine you have access to some of the best Doctors. The only cure for pancreatic cancer (correct me if I'm wrong) is via the Whipple removing every singe cancer cell. Chemo and radiation after the Whipple can also kill any wanderers for a complete cure.

Also, the Whipple will not only get out the cancer tumors, but confirm staging. they will know if they got clear margins or if it spread to lymph nodes.

IMHO, leaving a possible pancreatic cancer tumor alone to chemo and radiation is very very risky, especially when Whipple is an option.

Many people with pancreatic cancer WISH they had the Whipple option.

My mom did really really well. She eats everything. She is a little incontinent, but is OK with that. The Whipple gave her three years of life.

Lots of people are diagnosed at stage 4 and are gone in weeks or months.

TruthSeeker · Regular Joined: 01 Apr 2009 Posts: 12 Location: Canada

My mother was of the same age as your grandmother, 83, but was not offered this surgery. Her cancer had already metastisized with several mets on her liver. As Starseed has mentioned, many people with stage IV do not make it past weeks and months. My mother unfortunately, was one of those.

Your grandmother must be in pretty good shape for the doctors to consider her a candidate. This is good. While I have read that there can be complications from this surgery, you can't predict how something will turn out for a person. It always comes down to the individual. Desire, condition, benefits versus risks involved. I hope this helps some.
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