Bile Duct Cancer w/Metastasis to pancreas
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Austin….I echo the comments above. Your father in law should be able to make a decision based on a full disclosure of the information by the physicians. You would want him to understand the risk factors involved with each procedure and the ultimate, expected, outcome of each. Also I am wondering whether a second stent has been ruled out.
Please, stay in touch.
All my best wishes,
MarionDear Austinmama,
Welcome to the site. I am sorry that you had to find us all and I am sorry also to hear about your grandfather in law. But I am glad that you have joined in with us all here as you have come to the right place. You will get here from the great members a ton of support from people who know how you feel and what you are going through right now. We are not doctors, but we will do our best to help in answering any questions that you have so please feel free to ask any questions.
I do agree with Lainy and PCL in what they have said to you about your grandfather in law and quality of life. I know that quality of life and quantity of life is a tough choice, myself and my dad went through that after his diagnosis of CC and he was only 64 when diagnosed. My dad chose quality of life and I supported him in his decision there and for what treatments he had after diagnosis. What does your grandfather in law want to do here?
Please keep us updated on how your grandfather in law is doing. We are all here for you and we care.
Best wishes,
Gavin
Hi,
I am a patient like your grandfather-in-law.This is for your information only; 2nd opinions from another surgeon and internist doctors are highly recommended .
M.D. Anderson is rated #1 in CANCER treatment specialty at July 19,2011 in the US News & World Report .
The others are for OVERALL rating and not for specialty.
#1 is John Hopkins for the last 21 years in a roll.;
#3 for Mayo clinic;
#4 Cleveland clinic.
#6 for Presbyterian in New York;
#7 for UC SanFran;
#9 Duke
#11 Barnes-jewish Hospital
#16 Mt. Sinai at New York
.(I listed the one most often appeared on this site only)
Port-a-Cath,Hickman and PICC are devices for easier access to patient’s vein(part of the circulation system) for chemo,TPN, blood infusions and other emergency medications like epinephrine when patient is in a “Code blue” situation when medications are needed STAT. But port-a cath is not a must in the “Cold Blue” situation;the ER doctor can always do a cut down to get access into the vein system if needed to.However it will much easier for the nurses to give iv medications to you grand-father-in-law if he has a lot of IV and IVPB to be administered.In that case a triple lumen PICC line makes more sense than Port-a-Cath if chemo is not considered .I agree with Lainy, your grandfather-in-law is 86,the age factor ,the surgical procedure of the gastric bypass,the existing cancer that is not operated on.
I think it is time for all of the family member and the patient himself to ask at this point a question—:Should “quality of life” is worth more than the “quantity of life” now?
God bless.Dear AustinMama, welcome to our wonderful family but sorry you had to join us. My husband had the CC in his duodenum as well. He passed last December at age 78 after a 5 year battle.
This is hard for me to say but if the CC has spread to the Pancreas, is in the Duodenum, your Grandfather is 86….I would not put him through any more. Now this is my personal opinion, I know others will join in soon. I also do NOT understand the port if there is to be no chemo, which I would not do anyway as surgery is the real only way to get rid of CC. At 86 Chemo may make him way to weak.
For end of life, I would ask the ONC what he thinks about calling in Hospice. You can start with them a year out and it sounds like it would be a good thing to do. Your Grandfather will be able to stay at home (hopefully not alone) and they start out by coming once a week then increase it as needed. They will totally take care of his needs such as Meds, baths etc. They will keep any pain under control and give him things for nourishment and also to keep his system regular. They are wonderful. I wish you the best with this and remember the bottom line is to keep him as comfortable as you can. Please keep us posted.
Sometimes unfortunately enough, is enough.My grandfather-in-law, 86 and in near perfect health until last year’s occurrence of Bile Duct cancer, has now found out that the cancer has metastasized.
We are not getting good information from doctors here in Austin, TX.
I know there is a tumor that is pushing into the stomach and covering the opening from the stomach to the intestines (aka the duodenum). Last month he had to get a stent put into that opening to try to increase its size, thereby allowing food through. The stent is made of mesh, so he’s on a pureed food diet.
Now that stent is mostly covered again by the increasing size of the tumor. They are giving us the option of a biliopancreatic gastric bypass, routing the stomach straight to the small intestine (aka jejunum).
They also have found the cancer to have gone into his pancreas.
The doctors are recommending him putting in a port-a-cath even if he does not choose chemo. Does this make sense to anyone? Will he likely be back in the hospital during the end of life stages?
My mother died of leukemia. This is very different than that. She had no port-a-cath at the end of life.
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