Pancreatic Cancer Fighter

In memory of my mom, LYNDA, 7/16/1934 to 5/23/08 and my husband MIKE 7/6/61 to 11/4/06 both lost their battle to pancreatic cancer
On Friday, May 23, 2008 at 10:00 p.m. my mother Lynda passed away from pancreatic cancer. Her battle was significantly different than Mike's was...but the end was the same. I've now lost two people very close to me from pancreatic cancer.....I hate it!
"Good health is a crown only the sick see"
I feel as if I am buried alive Yet I smile, and respond "Fine, thank you." I have been appropriately conditioned No one wants to hear the painful t r u t h. An essential part of me, my limb A constituent of my earthly being Has been violently amputated. Yet I laugh at the mediocre conversations A verbal splash in a shallow puddle Pretending to be a player of the words That have no m e a n i n g. My heart has been ripped from my bosom No benevolence granted No explanation-No apologies Only cataclysmic p a i n Only agony No anesthesia remains, just the bitter pain. Yet I wear the m a s k Day to Day. Pretending I fit in But really I'm a foreigner here They speak an alien language I attempt to translate the words Still, they mean nothing to me. Sequestered in the mask They hear not the music I dance to Nor the words I speak Nor the pain I echo Nor the native language of my e y e s They will never really know me It's only a mask.Please pray for these people who are currently battling pancreatic cancer:
THIS CANDLE BURNS FOR THEM!
Arley -diagnosed August 2007
Christine - diagnosed January 2007
Denny – diagnosed July 2007
Donita - diagnosed 2007
Elaine G. - diagnosed February 21, 2006
Gordon Frasier - diagnosed Spring 2007
Harold Hooper - diagnosed ?
Joan - diagnosed May 1, 2007
Mary Davis - diagnosed July 11, 2007
Patrick Miller - October 8, 2007
Sharon - diagnosed October 2005
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Living with cancer is hard. You may have just learned you have cancer or you may be in treatment. Either way, you’ll be experiencing a wide range of feelings, ranging from denial to hope. These feelings may change from day to day. Hearing the words, “You have cancer” can come as a big shock! You may feel numb, afraid, angry, alone, depressed, fearful, worried, etc. These are all normal feelings!!!
DENIAL - When first diagnosed with cancer, some people have a difficult time believing it’s happening to them. You may not accept the fact at first. Denial can be good and bad. It can allow you time to adjust to your diagnosis, to feel hopeful, and focus on the future.
ANGER - It is normal to ask, “Why me?” You may feel angry at the cancer, at your healthy friends and family, doctors, even at yourself thinking you did something to cause the cancer. Talk to you friends, family, or healthcare team about your feelings!
FEAR AND WORRY - It is scary to hear that you have cancer. You may become worried about feeling sick or looking different because of your treatments, who is going to take care of your family while you are sick, paying bills, keeping your job, and dying. Find out all you can about your cancer. Most people feel better when they know what to expect. Knowing the facts may help make you less fearful and worried. Knowing the most you can about your cancer can also help you feel more in control of the whole situation.
SADNESS and DEPRESSION - Many people with cancer experience sadness and/or depression. This is a normal response to any serious illness! Depression sometimes can lead to more serious problems. Let your healthcare provider know if you have one or more of the following signs almost every day. Depression can be treated! 1. A feeling of hopelessness or that life has no meaning 2. No interest in being with friends and family 3. No interest in hobbies and activities that you used to enjoy 4. Crying for long periods of time or several times a day 5. Sleep problems, either sleeping too much or too little 6. Changes in your energy level 7. A loss of appetite or no interest in food at all 8. Thoughts of killing yourself. This includes making plans or taking action to kill yourself, including frequent thoughts of death and dying.
GUILT - Many people with cancer feel guilt. You may blame yourself about upsetting your friends and family with your diagnosis, worry about the burden you will be physically, emotionally, and financially. Let your healthcare team know how you feel. They can provide counseling. You may also want to find a support group for people with cancer.
LONELINESS - Loneliness often weighs heavily on a cancer patient. You may feel distant from people and think that there is no one that understands what you are going through. Some friends and family may avoid you, not knowing what to say to you. It is hard to get them to understand that you are the same person you were before the diagnosis. You may feel less lonely if you meet other people who have cancer or have had cancer. They will know exactly what you are going through and will be able to totally understand your feelings.
HOPE - Hope is so important! There are so many reasons to be hopeful! Cancer treatments can be successful and millions of people who had cancer are alive today!Attitude is everything! Read stories about people who have cancer or stories from survivors and let them inspire you.
PANCREATIC CANCER (also called cancer of the pancreas) is a malignant tumor within the pancreatic gland.
Each year about 35,000 individuals in the United States are diagnosed with this CANCER, and more than 60,000 in Europe. Depending on the extent of the tumor at the time of diagnosis, the prognosis is generally regarded as poor, with few victims still alive 5 years after diagnosis, and complete remission still extremely rare.
About 95% of pancreatic tumors are adenocarcinomas. The remaining 5%, pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (such as insulinomas) have a completely different diagnostic and therapeutic profile, and generally a more favorable prognosis.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
Early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer is difficult because the symptoms are so non-specific and varied. Common symptoms include abdominal pain, loss of appetite, significant weight loss over a short amount of time without trying and painless jaundice. But not everyone who has pancreatic cancer has these symptoms. It depends where the tumor starts growing. My husband's tumor began in the body of the pancreas and grew toward the tail. He never presented with jaundice or weight loss. He did have stomach pain which they thought were ulcers. But he also had backache pain that would not go away. We later discovered that the tumor was pressing on the spinal nerves which ultimately resulted in excrutiating pain for my husband. However, all of these symptoms can be blamed on other causes. Therefore, diagnosis of pancreatic cancer is often late-stage in its development.
Currently statistics state that there is a 99% fatality rate for anyone diagnosed with pancreatic cancer! Jaundice occurs when the tumour grows and pressure obstructs the common bile duct, which runs partially through the head of the pancreas. Tumours of the head of the pancreas (approximately 60% of cases) will more easily give rise to such symptoms.
PREDISPOSNG FACTORS
Risk factors for pancreatic cancer include: •Age (onset typically earlier 40's, but it is not unheard of for 30 year olds to be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer) •Male gender •African ethnicity •Smoking •Diets high in red meat and low in vegetables and/or fruit •Obesity •Diabetes •Chronic pancreatitis has been linked, but it is not yet certain to be causal. •Occupational exposure to certain pesticides, dyes, and chemicals related to gasoline •Family history
DIAGNOSIS
The presence of jaundice (yellowing of the skin)and a painlessly distended gallbladder are strongly indicative of pancreatic cancer, and may be used to distinguish pancreatic cancer from gallstones.
Pancreatic cancer is usually discovered during the course of the evaluation of the aforementioned symptoms. Liver function tests may show a combination of results indicative of bile duct obstruction (raised bilirubin, glutamyl transpeptidase and alkaline phosphatase levels). Carbohydrate antigen (19.9) is a tumor marker that is frequently elevated in pancreatic cancer.
Imaging studies, such as ultrasound or abdominal CT scan may be used to identify tumors. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) is another procedure that can help visualize the tumor and obtain tissue (biopsy)to establish the diagnosis.
TREATMENT
Treatment of pancreatic cancer depends on the stage of the cancer. Recent advances have made resection (surgical removal) of tumors that were previously unresectable due to blood vessel involvement possible. The Whipple procedure is the most common surgical treatment for cancers involving the head of the pancreas.
Stages Description
Stage I, Stage II, Stage III, Stage IVA and Stage IVB Most patients do not get diagnosed with this disease until they are already in late Stage III or early Stage IVApp. 89% of cases Treatment options and Median survival: Local/resectable--the Disease is confined to the pancreas and is clearly separated from surrounding blood vessels.
Surgery; postoperative chemotherapy and/or radiation may also be offered.
Locally advanced / unresectable (a tumor that can't be removed)disease encases or compresses surrounding blood vessels, or has directly extended into adjacent structures.
Chemotherapy (most commonly gemcitabine-based) and/or radiation. In very rare instances, cancers that respond well to initial treatment may subsequently be surgically resected. survival 8-9 months.
Stage IVA and IVB-Metastatic--Evidence of extrapancreatic spread to distant organs (liver, lungs, etc.)
Chemotherapy (most commonly gemcitabine-based); investigational trials, survival of 4-6 months
On the back of the results of a Canadian led Phase III Randomised Controlled trial involving 569 patients with advanced pancreatic cancer, the US FDA has licensed the use of erlotinib (Tarceva) in combination with gemcitabine as a palliative agent for this tumour. This trial compared the action of gemcitabine/erlotinib vs gemcitabine/placebo and demonstrated improved survival rates, improved tumour response and improved progression free survival rates.
New trials are now investigating the effect of the above combination in the adjuvant and neoadjuvant setting.PROGNOSIS
Patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer typically have a POOR PROGNOSIS because the cancer usually causes no symptoms early on, leading to metastatic disease (Stage IV)at time of diagnosis. Median survival from diagnosis is around 3 to 6 months; 5-year survival is much less than 5%.
IF A DOCTOR TELLS YOU THAT "YOU HAVE TIME" DO NOT BELIEVE HIM/HER, YOU DON'T. PANCREATIC CANCER IS EXTREMELY AGGRESSIVE AND VERY FAST GROWING as well as very, very, very painful. My husband was diagnosed in mid-August and died at the beginning of November!
With approximately 35,000 new diagnoses in the United States every year, and 34,800 deaths, mortality approaches 99%, giving pancreatic cancer the fatality rate highest of all cancers and the highest cancer killer in the United States amongst both men and women, with the lowest amount of funding afforded toward research.
Pancreatic cancer occasionally may result in diabetes. The insulin production is hampered and it has been suggested that the cancer can also prompt the onset of diabetes and vice versa.
PREVENTION
There is currently no drug or medicine that we can take as a preventative to pancreatic cancer. As it stands, prevention of pancreatic cancer consists of avoiding risk factors when possible.
Cigarette smoking is considered to be the most significant and avoidable risk factor for pancreatic cancer.
Maintaining a healthy weight and exercising may be helpful.
Additionally, increasing consumption of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains while decreasing red meat intake is recommended.
Also, in September 2006, a long term study concluded that taking Vitamin D can SUBSTANTIALLY cut the risk of pancreatic cancer (as well as other cancers) by up to 50%.
More studies on this are called for.
Awareness
•November is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month
•Purple is the official color chosen to represent pancreatic cancer
•An estimated 52.7 million dollars was spent on pancreatic cancer research in 2004 of the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) cancer research budget. THIS IS JUST A MERE 1% OF THE NCI’s 2004 4.824 BILLION DOLLAR CANCER RESEARCH BUDGET.
•Despite the especially lethal nature of pancreatic cancer, the research spending per pancreatic cancer patient is only $1145, the lowest of any leading cancer.
•Celebrities who have succumbed to pancreatic cancer include legendary comedian Bill Hicks, Donna Moore, Marcello Mastriani, Joan Crawford, Michael Landon, and Ron O'Neal, Bruce Willis' younger brother also died from pancreatic cancer. And now of course we have all heard about Patrick Swayze's battle. How many more have to die before the public raises its voice in outcry for the seriousness of this disease?If you have been diagnosed or know someone who has....you should immediately prepare AN ADVANCED DIRECTIVE, A POWER OF ATTORNEY and yes, A LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT. If you don't know how to do these documents, send me a message, I can help.
One organization called CancerCare helps people out financially, people that have cancer. You can find them at CancerCare.org or 1-800-813-HOPE.
Also cancer patients can qualify for free prescriptions. Contact: RX Assist and RX Hope 1-888-587-9438. They can help, all your doctor has to do is fill out some paperwork.
Pancreatic cancer is the most virulent of all of the major cancers. The duration from diagnosis to demise in advanced pancreatic cancer (the most common form at diagnosis) is 5 to 6 months with good treatment.
It is also the least funded in terms of research. Pancreatic cancer receives (on a per mortality basis): 10% of the funding of breast cancer (but causes 78% of the mortality), 35% of the funding of prostate cancer (but causes more mortality) and 29% of the funding of colorectal cancer (but causes 55% of the mortality).
Pancreatic cancer will cause more than 40,000 deaths in the U.S. this year (and another 50,000 in Europe) - about 250 deaths (U.S + Europe) per day OR more than 1% of all mortality.
Pancreatic cancer has a high mortality rate because it is difficult to find the disease early. Pancreatic cancer usually does not cause any recognizable symptoms until it is advanced and has spread outside the body. Since the pancreas is deep inside the body, it is difficult to detect tumors during a routine check-up. Currently, there are no screening tests to find this disease early in individuals who have no symptoms.
This page was created in memory of my husband
MICHAEL A. McKEEVER
July 6, 1961 to November 4, 2006
DEAD AT 45 YEARS OLD FROM PANCREATIC CANCER

..VICTORIA
Mike has a personal page too:
Mike's Page
I started this page because my husband Mike was diagnosed with PANCREATIC CANCER at the beginning of August 2006 and died on November 4, 2006 at 7:36 a.m. I searched and searched for information about pancreatic cancer but found a wasteland. No one talked about it, no one knew about the cancer, no one even seemed to care. The doctors looked at my husband as if he was already dead. The insurance company stalled and denied our referral requests because they knew how expensive the treatment for pancreatic cancer is. They also knew if they stalled long enough my husband would be dead and there would be no expense. They were right. My husband died after receiving no cancer treatment. Also, the doctors we saw wanted to treat the pain, but not the cause--pancreatic cancer. Because of their lack of knowledge and lack of research funding, the medical profession failed us as they have thousands of other people.
I miss my husband tremendously, he was my best friend, my champion, my lover and my soulmate and if I could I would have crawled into his body and gone with him.
However, God had other plans for me and I couldn't do that, so the next thing I might be able to do is to help make sense of this horrific experience is to maybe help one person, one family or hundreds, thousands of people prevent what we went through.
FOR MORE INFORMATION here is a link to a site where you can ask questions, share advice, stories of hope, etc. please click on the link to Cancer Discussion here:
..CancerDiscussion.com

It's important to spread the word about pancreatic cancer. I know this from personal experience. Until you get diagnosed with it or know someone who is diagnosed with pancreatic cancer you don't hear about it. In fact most people have never even heard of pancreatic cancer or know how the pacrease functions or even know where it's located in the body.It is one of the worst cancers there is, and it is one of the least funded areas of research.Any and all kinds of cancer is horrible, everyone knows that. However, given that so many people are dying of pancreatic cancer with little or no notice I hope that you agree more research needs to be done on this very agressive cancer. Please help spread the word and add PANCREATIC CANCER KILLS as your friend and tell your friends about pancreatic cancer and this page
NOVEMBER IS PANCREATIC CANCER AWARENESS MONTH.
We must continue to work to find a cure, to get the word out about PANCREATIC CANCER...people are dying each and every day, statistics tell us that approximately 36,000 people a year in the United States and more than 45,000 people each year in Europe. We must all continue to work to find a cure, to find treatment, to discover preventative measures...each day, not just in November.