From inoperable to Whipple

[WifeampMum]

This week, after a roller-coaster 9 months following diagnosis and failed Whipple, my husband had a successful Whipple operation. Thanks (we assume) to his treatment with Folfirinox and chemo-radiotherapy, his inoperable tumour became operable. The mass, previously found to be clinging resolutely to a major blood vessel, simply peeled away. As you can imagine, we are beyond happy!

Wishing all locally advanced/borderline resectable patients a similarly positive outcome,

Wife & Mum x

[Sueoliver]

I am so pleased for you that is wonderful news. It is great to read a positive story. I wish your husband all the best in his recovery.

Love Sue X

[Proud Wife]

Dear Wife & Mum

Absolutely fantastic news!! I'm sure your story will give an enormous boost to those who may be able to undergo a whipple. Let's keep PC bashing!! Wishing your husband well as he recovers from surgery.

All the best to you all xx

[stmfst]

Thank you so much for sharing this. My husband was diagnosed with locally advanced inoperable cancer, with the tumour wrapped around the portal vein, 10 months ago. 12 sessions of Folforinox brought a "moderate" reduction and he has now undergone 19 of 28 sessions of chemo radiotherapy. He is tired, and very fed up with the relentless diarrohea. This news has given us renewed hope and strength. Congratulations to you both. Mary

[WifeampMum]

Sue and Proud Wife, thanks so much for your good wishes!

Mary, gosh, what a lot we (sadly) have in common: our husbands diagnosed within a month of each other, both with tumours wrapped round the portal vein, treatment regimes of Folfirinox followed by chemo-radiotherapy. In my husband's case it was 6 cycles of Folfirinox.

You mention that your husband's tumour has already shown a moderate reduction, which is fantastic. Apologies if you know this already, but after Folfirinox treatment, CT scans aren't always reliable indicators of resectability. Apparently it's not uncommon for tumours indicating minimal, or even NO reduction, to prove operable in subsequent exploratory surgery. This article discusses some of the data with particular reference to venous involvement:

http://archsurg.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1107067

I also have a hunch that "operability" is partly in the eye of the surgeon, and that some are more willing and able to attempt vascular surgery than others. After my husband's aborted Whipple I found a different surgeon at the same hospital who had a particular interest in pancreatic cancer with venous involvement. Thankfully he agreed to operate on the basis of the post-Folfirinox CT scans - these indicated only slight reduction in the tumour - and falling CA19-9.

Wife & Mum x

[stmfst]

Thank you. I had certainly read that some surgeons were happier to operate than others, but this article is fascinating and very relevant to our situation. I shall raise it with the oncologist on Monday week. Best wishes. Mary

[Didge]

That's brilliant news and interesting information about the unreliability of CT scans regarding resectability. I am sure it will give a lot of people hope. Also regarding the surgeon's willingness to operate, we were always sure that a different surgeon would not have operated and we were lucky to get one regarded as one of the best in the world for pancreatic surgery although my partner's cancer was in the tail but it was locally advanced when he got to the table having spread further since the 'look see' surgery a couple of weeks earlier. Good luck for the future xx

[J_T]

very excellent news and so hopeful for others. Thank goodness you pursued further options and surgeons!

stmfst, I wouldn't wait until Monday week, I would start make noises now!

good luck with it.

Julia x

[PCUK Nurse Jeni]

Excellent news Wife & mum!

As others have said, a great "hope booster" for the many others on here in a similar position.

Well done!

Jeni.

[Ruthus]

Fantastic news and gives real hope!! I hope your husband makes a good recovery from surgery.

[Proud Wife]

Hi Wife & Mum

How is your husband today? I hope he's starting to recover well from surgery?

Love Proud Wife xx

[WifeampMum]

Thanks Didge, Julia, Jeni and Ruthus, for your lovely comments.

Mary, good luck with your oncology appointment next Monday!

Proud Wife, thanks for enquiring after hubby. I'm happy to report that the doctors are very pleased with his recovery so far.

xx

[Proud Wife]

YAY! Brilliant news Wife & Mum! Long may it continue xx