How Long Can Someone Expect To Live With Pancreatic Cancer?
- Friday Oct 30,2009 09:45 AM
- By diddy
- In Others
I’m planning on writing a book about a girl whose father is diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. I’ve researched a lot, but the one thing I’m having difficulty with is finding out how long the cancer will take to kill him. I realize that this varies a lot based on health and when it’s first detected, but can anyone give me a generalization for how long it could be?
Also, what types of diseases would the doctors test him for before they realize what it really is?
Thank you so much!
Diseases, Doctors, Generalization, Health, Pancreatic Cancer, Writing A Book
4 Comments
This isn’t difficult to answer at all and it doesn’t vary all that much. Less than 20% survive the first year. 3% survive 5 years. Nonresectable or stage 4 disease has a median survival of 2-6 months.
Doctors don’t really check for diseases. Tests are run based on history, physical exam and symptoms. What these tests tells them either diagnosis the problem or determines what other tests need to be done. Tests would start with a CT and blood tests, followed by an ERCP or an EUS. MRI is not often used for diagnosis.
I have never seen this disease diagnosed early unless it is diagnosed by accident and those are the only long term survivors I have seen. Patrick Swayze lived just short of 2 years. He was treated with Cyber Knife which is not widely available.
How Long Can Someone Expect To Live With Pancreatic Cancer?
It is very difficult for any doctor to answer this question for you. They can only guess at the answer as they cannot see into the future any more than the rest of us can. For this reason, some doctors try to avoid giving you any estimate at all of how long you may live.
Tests for pancreatic cancer
You usually begin by seeing their GP, who will examine you and ask about your general health. Your doctor will look at your skin and eyes and may ask you for a urine sample to check for signs of jaundice. He or she will ask you to lie down for a physical examination. The doctor can tell whether your abdomen is tender. It may be possible to feel a lump. Or your liver may feel enlarged. Afterwards your doctor will refer you to a hospital for tests and X-rays.
At the hospital
The specialist will ask about your medical history and symptoms. He or she will then examine you by feeling your abdomen. You may have blood tests and a chest X-ray to check your general health. Then your specialist will arrange some tests for you. These may include an ultrasound, CT scan, MRI scan, ERCP, laparoscopy and a barium meal. You may be asked to come into hospital to have your tests. Or you may have them in the outpatients department.
What will all the tests show?
These tests might show that you are likely to have cancer of the pancreas. You may have a cyst or lump on your pancreas that may or may not be cancer. Your doctor may be almost certain that you do have cancer of the pancreas. But the only way to be absolutely sure is to either remove the whole lump or remove a piece of tissue from the suspicious area to check under the microscope for cancer cells. This is called a biopsy.
I have lost three acquaintances to pancreatic cancer. My experiences, and that’s all I can speak to, are as follows.
One man was said to be diagnosed "Early". He lived a few days beyond the first anniversary of his diagnosis.
The other two were diagnosed "Later", one lived about 6 months the other was gone in less than 2 months.
All three required heavy doses of pain medication as the condition seems to be quite painful.
This type of cancer seems to be very aggressive; killing quickly when compared to other cancers. It appears treatment programs and medications are not yet as effective as for some other cancers.
As I said earlier these are only my experiences, I am not a doctor nor have I studied the condition. I don’t even know exactly what the mechanism of death is in this form of cancer.
Good luck on the book.
Patrick Swayze lived a couple years with it I believe. Usually you’re lucky if you live past 4 months. My grandma lived 3 or 4 months with it and my dad made it about 5 months. By the time a person is diagnosed with it, it’s usually too far spread to do much. My dad found out he had it b/c he was in bed for a week with a terrible headache when his work finally decided to send an ambulance to get him b/c he wouldn’t go to the doctor himself. They found a tumor in his brain so he had surgery to remove that. Then they did a ct scan and found cancer in his pancreas and lungs. They tested the cancer and it was pancreatic cancer cells so it had already metastasized to his brain and lungs by the time he found out about it. He had chemo and radiation and still passed away from the cancer.
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