COULD IT BE CANCER?

[BandJ75]

My husband and I just came back from the surgeon. We have been dealing with doctors for a month now. He started with itchy skin, floaty stools and dark urine. They did a CATscan and found a 3 milimiter mass in his pancreas close to the common valve. We met with the surgeon today and he said; "If I was a beating man I will say this is cancer"
He stated that his ducts in the liver were enlarged and this is common with pancreatic cancer. He also said that there is no show of spreading, but that he will know after the whipple surgery to be performed in two weeks after his bilirubin count comes down; he currently has a draining catherer outside his skin. He also said he wants him to be a bit stronger for the surgery and his bilirubin count to be a little lower.
His past history is no cancer in his family; always healthy; definitely a consistent drinker -4 to 5 drinks per day (beer, sangria, and wine) for the past five years. Also, eats lots of salty and fatty foods. Has been taking Tylenol pm for the past 6 years to help him fall asleep. Last but not least; quit smoking 6 years ago (used to smoke 1 pack a week); and smoked for 10 years.
QUESTION: Is he premature saying that it is cancer? Are there other posibilities; he made us feel like this is what it is and he will live "luckely" 5 more years.
What is your take?

[Morecambe]

I don't know whether the new procedure that I outlined can/cannot be carried out at the same time as the Whipple technique.

I suggest that you ask your surgeon:-

- are you aware of the new technique whereby the portal vein is part replaced by the jugular vein etc?
- if so under what circumstances would this procedure become relevant?
- what would you need to find during the Whipple operation to warrant the portal/jugular vein procedure?
- can you follow on to this procedure during/after the Whipple operation without the need for a second bout of surgery?

Try typing into google/yahoo:-

http://www.royalfree.nhs.uk/

Then type in to the search box pancreatic cancer
then click on the third listing news archive - and some of the other related postings

Depending on your surgeon's response, I would be tempted to look for a hospital where the technique is well known and tried if your surgeon is unpracticed in this new area and is uncertain about whether or not it can be carried out concurrently with the Whipple procedure.

Good luck
Morecambe

[BandJ75]

Thanks. The more the shock of knowing that my 48 year old husband with two children 6 and 2 and no solution; just kills me. I am hoping that he has surgery in two weeks to do the whipple -is that when you suggest for that procedure to be done?

[Morecambe]

I can't answer your question about the possibility of pancreatic cancer - but, if this is eventually diagnosed, a new treatment has been discovered that can provide a cure for this otherwise ominous condition.

It involves cutting out a part of the portal vein and replacing this with a portion of the jugular vein.  I am sure that this procedure is becoming more widely understood but, in case not at your hospital, do bring it to the attention of the doctors.  I have read that the G.I. section of the Mayo Clinic(s) are 3aware of this.

Of course I hope that it does not come to this for your husband...

Good luck
Morecambe