Chemotherapy after PC Operation

Hello Shayda:

 Wish your father do well and good luck tomorrow. My boyfriend had the Whipple procedure done on January. It took 15 hours. Came out of the hospital in 8 days. They were calling him to return for chemo three days after he came out. His surgeon told us he needed 6-8 weeks to heal. We decided to wait the 8 weeks. He started his chemo today. As you said it is to soon to get the chemo. I would let him get a little bit stronger before anything else. Let him get the rest he needs. It will be a major surgery. My boyfriend still has abdominal pain every day and sometimes cry because of it. He can decide whether or not to do it as soon as they call him. I send my prayers and blessings to all of you. 

Hi Shayda

I am sorry to hear of your father’s diagnosis. I think that you are asking two questions here. The usefulness of chemotherapy and the tinmig after surgery. I’m not sur where you live. The procedure in the U.K. is that adjuvant (that is, after surgery) chemo is usually given about eight weeks after surgery. It will take your father some time to recover from the surgery so two weeks after is very soon. Again in the U.K. chemo is not always given after surgery. If the tumour is removed and there is no spread then it may not be offered. 

From my experience of being round PC forums for a while chemotherapy can have variable results with PC. The only cure for PC is the Whipple but chemo could clear any stray cells. I think it will only become clear after surgery what the best course of action is. 

I hope all goes well.

Squeaky

Dear NancyV.  Thank you so much for the quick reply. Sorry to hear about your boyfriend and I hope that his pain stops and he recovers very soon. 

Regarding my dad:  the surgeon could not accurately assess the stage of cancer but given my dads overall health and test results they decided to open the stomach to assess the stage more accurately and hopefully remove the cancer by Whipple procedure. He is in operating theatre as we speak and they said it may take 10 hours.. . Your advice on chemo was very helpful. Now I understand that what they say is only recommendation and like your boyfriend, we do not have to do the chemo straightaway until we feel my dad is strong enough to go through it... 

I am so glad I joined this group. Having support from so many kind people in such difficult times is very comforting. 

Love and prayers

Shayda

Dear Squeaky, Thank you for your reply. It was very helpful. You guessed it correctly. I live in UK myself but dad is not. I could not travel soon enough to be there for his operation but I am traveling tomorrow to be with him and family post operation. They also recommended Whipple procedure. (He is in operating theatre as we speak) but I was a bit concerned that chemo sessions were booked two weeks after operation and wanted to have more awareness of the condition and recommended treatment. Your reply was very helpful and now I feel more confident to delay chemo until we know more and until my dad feels stronger. Being so faraway from family and being so helpless was driving me crazy in this difficult time but joining this group and reading about other people’s experiences has been very helpful and comforting. I will keep everyone posted as soon as I have more news about my dad’s operation.

Love and prayers 

Shayda 

Hi, just a little message to say that my partner had this operation last November and recovered really well. He was offered chemo 8 weeks post operation as they said it could interfere with the healing process if given any sooner. He has decided not to have chemo, but that is his choice. I really hope that  your dad's operation will be successful as we have had a really good experience although we would have preferred not to need it. Sending good thoughts. X

Thank you so much for your message and for letting me know about your positive experience with operation. Wish you and your partner all the best. 

It is good to know that chemo may not be needed after operation, because knowing my dad I feel he will find it very difficult to cope with the side effects... 

lets hope for the best and thank you so much for all the good thoughts and positive energy. :)

Shayda

May I ask where your dad lives? I hope the surgery is going well. It certainly has been carried out quickly.

Squeaky

Hello Shayda:

  It took months before they found what stage my boyfriends was. Since last September, going back and forth between stents (2x), MRI, CT Scans, Laparascopies, Endoscopies, Biopsies (4x). The first came back positive, they said dont listen to the resident that gave us the diagnosis, second test came back negative, the third one came back positive and he was in the early stage. They decided for the Whipple, waited a month for that, surgeon said stage 2, oncologist told us he was in an advanced stage. When we ask oncologist what was the stage in number, he said he wasnt sugar coated, he was stage 4. Surgery day came (Dec) and they had to close him, because it spread to liver. He started chemo, one time, when they called us to say the liver biopsy wasn't cancerous they can proceed with the Whipple. Withing a week he was already in surgery, exactly one month (Jan) after first procedure. They said it was going to be 9 hours, it took 15. The oncologist told us, once they open you if you're on stage 2, you automatically goes to stage 3. But in this second procedure they found cancerous lymph nodes. Now we are asking what stage and they beating around the bush. We need a second opinion, its never to late. Sending your father strength and blessings. 

I think actually that he should have had chemo, he won't let me go appointments so am not sure of facts. I do know that post whipples they said that the lymph nodes they removed were cancerous and they were close to the margin. They recommended 6 months chemo  but partner refused, I think that he did not want to be tied to it and he said he didn't want to grow old and suffer?!.  So please don't think it' was not necessary for my partner, Though maybe it won't be in every case. Xxx

Hi Sqeaky. My dad and my family live in Iran but I  lived most of my adult life here in UK. So I am more familier with the medical care system here. Howver, I hear from my family that in Iran doctors and surgeons are very good and they have been amazing since my dad went to hospital with severe abdominal pain and sudden weight loss...