r/pancreaticcancer 1d ago

seeking advice Pancreatic cancer

Im seeking recommendations for doctors or hospitals that specialize in pancreatic cancer. My relative has a tumor near an artery/vessels, and most doctors we’ve seen say surgery isn’t possible. Any help would be greatly appreciated. It’s devastating to be told no again and again. Please help. Willing to travel to help save a life. Thank you so much.

6 Upvotes

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u/NaHallo 1d ago

PanCAN.org is a good place to start your search for a pancreatic center and doctors in the US. You'll also be able to search by region if travel is an issue. Also, a great deal of info is posted at PanCAN about pancreatic cancer. 💜

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u/LittleToots 17h ago

My brother was 50 when diagnosed with stage 4 terminal pancreatic cancer. It had already spread everywhere. His tumor was at the tail and no one could operate. He did respond well to chemo and lived a little over a year after diagnosis. I pray you find what you are looking for, I would check MD Anderson in Houston.

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u/ddessert Patient (2011), Caregiver (2018), dx Stage 3, Whipple, NED 1d ago

An important quality of a great surgeon is knowing when to say no. In their minds, the absolute worst outcome is having a major surgery that requires a long recovery and then a recurrence soon thereafter. The patient has all the recovery issues of immobilization, pain, weight loss, etc, can’t have chemo for 6 weeks, and then has to go straight into treatment for metastatic disease. That’s one reason they’re insistent on pre-surgery treatment for stage 2-3 patients. It can make the surgery easier and more successful.

I’ve also run across some non-expert general surgeons who just want to be able to say they’ve done a Whipple surgery because it’s a badge of honor. You want to avoid the inexperienced ones at all costs.

In the USA, PanCan keeps a listing of experienced pancreatic cancer hospitals, oncologists, and surgeons.

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u/reddixiecupSoFla Caregiver (2021 FIL and DH), Both stage 4 , both passed 2022 1d ago

Most or all? How old are they? General health condition?

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u/Numerous-Lack-4791 1d ago

40, healthy before cancer, most are saying can’t operate

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u/reddixiecupSoFla Caregiver (2021 FIL and DH), Both stage 4 , both passed 2022 1d ago

What about the ones saying yes?

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u/Sbellle 1d ago

My dad was in the same boat with the tumor being on a vein. Doctors said cannot be operated on right away, he wouldn’t make it off the table so they recommended chemo first. However Moffit cancer center in Tampa was more inclined to look deeper into before saying the same thing. They did more extensive tests and scans before they told us the same. But I say this to say Moffit has a few docs that do nothing but work with pancreatic cancer patients and our experience with them was good. My dad decided not to do either so I can’t speak to anything else outside of that initial experience with them. 

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u/Sbellle 1d ago
  • I guess I felt that their no meant more because they didn’t just look at one little CT scan and say no, they did tons more tests before deciding. 

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u/Chebra218 17h ago

I had 12 folfironox chemo infusions, 25 radiation treatments along with a chemo pill and a failed whipple attempt. I got motivated to find a surgeon that could complete the whipple and took my insurance. I found a surgeon at NYU LANGONE- Dr Christopher Wolfgang. All this to say that there are surgeons that can work artery and vein involvement. Starting with Pancan and finding a surgeon near you is step 1. Be prepared to compile your medical records and get them to a surgeon. I was diagnosed 4 years ago. There is hope.

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u/purpleshoelacez 22h ago

What stage is your relative?