BILCAP/ABC trials

Hi Kate,

A link to the cyberknife centre in London –

http://www.cyberknifecentrelondon.co.uk/

Best wishes,

Gavin

Hi Kate,

Welcome to the site, although I am sorry that you have to be here. I am also in the UK, in Dundee and I was my dads carer during his fight with CC. Please come back here often as you will get a load of support from us all. And I am sure that you will get answers from someone to the questions that you will have.

My dads CC was inoperable and his treatment was PDT with the possibility of chemo at some point. He also had a metal stent inserted. Perhaps you could speak with Prof Lodge about the possibility of PDT as a treatment for your dad at some point. My dad had his PDT at Ninewells in Dundee, but I think they are doing the same treatment as part of a trial in London, Nottingham, Bristol, Liverpool, Wincester, Basigstoke and the North Manchester General. I am sure that Prof Lodge will know more about this.

I hadn’t heard of the Bilcap trial until today and I’m assuming that this is the trial that your dad is on,

http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/trials/a-trial-looking-at-capecitabine-after-surgery-for-cancer-of-the-bile-duct-or-gallbladder

As things turned out, my dad was not suitable for chemo but from speaking with his oncologist at the time, if they had done chemo then it would have been the Gem/Cis combination. But I do not know if that is now the standard treatment in the UK, perhaps someone else will know. As to Cyberknife, I think that there is only one facility in the UK that does this procedure, in Harley Street in London. I remember seeing something on the news here in the UK about it last year and I think I posted the link to the piece on the website so perhaps you could use the search function here to look for it.

My best wishes to you and your dad,

Gavin

Welcome, Kate, to our wonderful family! Can’t help out on the things you asked about but my husband, Teddy had a Whipple 4 1/2 years ago and is now 77. Yes it returned last year and if the tumor is small enough, under 7nm you can try Cyber Knife. Only 3 – 5 treatments and it spends the next year dying off. It is wonderful. A miracle. You father will probably have a regiment of monthly LABs and visiting his Oncologist every other month or so, at least that is what we do. Must keep vigilant and most often you can keep it at bay. Teddy’s next PET Scan is March 17th. We know he has 2 new tumors but they are very small and for no apparent reason seem to be shrinking on their own. We will take it!! Please keep us posted.