Mass found on head of pancreas

opposingwind · New User Joined: 18 Jun 2009 Posts: 1

Hello everybody.

I have searched a LOT on the internet but cannot find the answer to this. I am hoping you folks would know since you have experience with these things and have visited many doctors in this regard.

My mother has a mass either on the head or very close to the head of her pancreas. The doctor is trying to get an appointment for a biopsy but has not called us yet. He said it may be weeks before he can get an appointment. (a month ago the MRI said the mass was 1.7cm in diameter, i don't know how big it is now)

I wanted to know, what are the chances that this mass is benign or malignant. There must be some stats out there. I believe our doctor is either a FOOL or a LIAR. because he said that chances of it being malignant are generally 5%.... however wherever I read on the internet.. it says there are much more chances of the mass being malignant.

I await your opinions. And thank you for them!

mamaof4 · Regular Joined: 10 May 2009 Posts: 14

If you haven't gotten an appointment by now, take matters in your own hands and find one asap. Drs are busy and don't always follow through in a timely manner. YOU are your mom's best advocate. If it is cancer, treatments need to begin asap. My thoughts and prayers to your family

ethan20 · Regular Joined: 12 Jan 2009 Posts: 23

I'm sorry to say there is more of a chance for maglinancy. If it was found a month ago, it should have been biopsied immediately. Results with ERCP will be given at time of procedure. If the tumor is localized to the pancreas and does not invade any major vessels, then the whipple procedure will be the treatment of choice. If not, chemo is required at once to control metastasis. Pancreatic Cancer spreads and progresses quickly. If surgery is not an option, do not depend on just chemo- it does not have a good outcome. Look into conventional radiation, cyberknife, change in diet, herbs and supplements or any trial you can get into. Good luck.

sel819 · New User Joined: 24 Jun 2009 Posts: 3

We were told in Dec. my husband had cyst but did not do biopsy . We stayed with him until this May where I went to the hospital to pull copy of my husband test, to find the results on my husband CT scan that showed possible mass or cyst that has grown. I then went to the Univesity Hopsital who brought us in the following Monday to do MRI, then next week we did a ERCP where we were told it had grow into a stage 3 then within 1 week went to a stage 4. Now spread to liver, lymp nodes, maybe kidney. I wished a million times I had pushed to do more but trusted my Dr. Now we are doing chemo & radiation 5 days a week for just the pain. Do not waste another day. find another Dr.

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