Alternative treatments for advanced pancreatic cancer

Hello,

I encourage you to contact the American Cancer Society's Clinical Trial Matching and Referral service. There may be additional trials that have come available. They can be reached at 1-800-303-5691 or use the following link http://www.cancer.org/docroot/ETO/content/ETO_6_1X_Clinical_Trials_Matching_Service.asp.

I wish you and your father the best.

Take care and be well,

Dana
CSN Dana

Wigged Out said:

Alternatives to chemo for cancer

I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer stage 4 about 6 months ago.  It was discovered accidentally during a routine physical because I never had any symptoms other than 8 pound weight loss without trying (I thought this was a good thing!)   I was so frightened by my oncologist who painted a very bleak picture for me.  Gave me 6 months to live without treatment, possibly 2 years with chemo.  Surgery not an option.  So I started chemo within a few days of diagnosis while I was still in shock.  Since then I have done a ton of research on alternative treatments.  Two really good books that have influenced my decision to combine traditional and alternative therapies:   "Radical Remission" by Turner and "Taking Control: My Journey of Alternative Healing" by Sade.  There are so many resources now for exploration of alternative and/or complimentary therapies.  I am at a point where I feel I have some control as well.  Today I have reduced chemo and have made dietary and lifestyle changes that research shows effective.  When you are diagnosed with cancer, you panic and this panic makes you very vulnerable to doing "whatever the oncologist says," but take a little time to become informed.  And don't question your gut instinct - if something doesn't 'sit right' with you, ask questions (and get answers), educate yourself.  

 

Alternative Treatments

 

Hi Wigged,

My Best friend was diagnosed with stage IV PC two weeks ago. She had various degrees of abdominal discomfort and pain for several months that just kept getting worse. The episodes and "attacks" seemed to follow meals so her MD felt they were common GI symptoms and failed to take her pain seriously at first.

 

 Finally after confronting her Dr. with the increasingly persistant pain symptoms, xrays, mri's, cat scans and PT scans were ordered. Then an endoscopic procedure with biopsy showed a 2.3 cm mass in the pancreas with other spots on the liver.

 

She is now under the care of Kaiser Oncology Dept. in Sacramento, CA.  Chemo begins next Friday.

 

I will share your reading suggestions with her and hope to share chemo experiences with you in the future.

 

Thanks for the advice and best wishes for your good health.

 

 

 

 

 

swm1851 said:

Out on a limb

I was diagnosed with PC stage 4 back June 2016. Started chemo immediately and have been getting treatments every 2 weeks since then with no breaks. I've lost a tremendous amount of weight. Coupled with PC I also am type 2 diabetic. I need a break from chemo to regain my strength and quality of life. Why my oncologist at Kaiser never suggested breaks boggles me. Doc told me I had 6 months to 2 years. I was shocked when I heard. Honestly, I believe all the pills I take for diabetes was a contributor. I'm a very spritual God loving individual and pray everyday for peace of mind. My faith keeps me from going out of my mind. I keep a journal of everything I eat (when I can eat) and every pill I take. Meditation calms me. I was prescribed Marinol (weed) to increase my appetite but it makes me feel like I'm on cloud 9. I'm considering laying off chemo for a while. I hope I'm making a wise decision.

Dear swm:

Dear swm:

So sorry to hear that you are going through this.  My husband is going through PC also.  He just started his back end chemo (had chemo, then surgery and now chemo again).  After losing a lot of weight and then the surgery, this second round of chemo was pretty harsh.   We then had a discussion with the doctor who indicated given the weight loss and the surgery that his body isn't processing it the same.   Therefore, they tweeked one or two of the chemos.  This greatly helped as this time he wasn't vomitiing.

I think you should speak with your doctor about taking a break or at least tweeking the chemo since you have lost weight.   Its a rollercoaster because they don't want you to lose weight but the chemo makes you lose weight.   I would ask for a sit down with your doctor or at least if you can email him (like my husband did) and have them answer your questions or thoughts about continuing chemo or at least taking a break.  Of course most doctors would want you to continue but its really not up to them.  They are just suggesting what they believe is good for you.   However, it really is up to you and want you want to do.  Gather enough information and then make your decision but it has to be your decision.

My best to you.