Enzyme Levels
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Thanks Mary. You have some good suggestions here, and it’s good to hear your experience of ca 19 rising from benign issues.
The two-stage pancreas removal was because of complications. They removed the head during the whipple but then had to go back to remove the whole thing because of leakage post-op. And she didn’t even go in for a whipple! The plan was for a liver resection, but it had spread to the far end of the duct as well. So, yes, a traumatic surgery all around and I’m grateful she’s finally getting past it (and grateful she was in a position to have the surgery in the first place! I know how many aren’t).Hi Glenno,
Thank you for writing with an update about how your wife is doing. I am happy to hear she has turned the corner in her recovery. Great news on her 9-month scan results.
I don’t recall that we have had any patients who posted who had the same type of Whipple surgery as your wife had, in two stages with her pancreas removed, so I can’t point you to postings of similar experiences. That was a big surgery with a lot of healing and adjustment that will take time. One thought I had looking at your question is that care for our cancer is by necessity a team sport. Most patients have multidisciplinary teams looking at their cases if they are treated at a major cancer center, with individual specialists pulled in when needed.
I am wondering, if you and your wife are worried about rising enzyme and CA 19-9 levels, whether it may be worthwhile to consult a liver specialist (hepatologist or gastroenterologist) to double check whether the test results are concerning. Your wife’s surgeon may be able to suggest someone. Personally, I have had two episodes of rising CA 19-9, one during radiation treatment when it nearly doubled from my post-resection number, and a second time when it rose by 33% due to a bout of colitis. In both cases, it went back down a few months after the causing factor ended. All kinds of factors can cause test numbers to move. Some are benign and others may indicate an infection, blockage or other issue that needs attention. The fact your wife’s surgeon is not concerned plus the good scan are both positive signs, but if there is worry, another opinion can be valuable.
Take care, stay in touch, Mary
Hi Everyone,
My wife is 9 months out from a combined major hepatectomy/whipple for perhilar CC (which was followed one week later by removal of her pancreas). She finally seems to be past the major complications that she’s been enduring since then (yay!) and just had a clean 9-month MRI (yay!). But her bloodwork now shows all her liver enzymes substantially elevated and her ca 19-9 has been creeping up and is now higher than it was before surgery. Surgeon doesn’t seem bothered by any of this, but I wonder if any of you have had similar experiences following surgery. Thanks!
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