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My father is still receiving chemo at MD Anderson in Houston. The cancers (main on pancreas, others in liver and spine) have continued to decrease in size.
About a month ago, he started feeling worse about each chemo treatment. For a few months, it would hit him for a couple of days, but then he'd bounce back. Now it seems that the chemo keeps him down for over a week (his treatment is every other Wednesday).
The biggest battle over the last month has been calorie intake. He just never seems hungry. He also just had a problem with constipation. They "fixed" that, but it's gone in the other direction to diarrhea, and the obvious fear there is dehydration.
Overall, it's still looking real good; although, the toll of the chemo is lower QOL.
Quote:
Originally Posted by blossom4792
Hi all - Sorry to report my father died a week ago today. That made 5 weeks from diagnosis to death with intervening complications of (a) stroke, (b) abdominal swelling (I assume ascites but never received confirmation). So his cancer was extremely aggressive since he was asymptomatic at diagnosis in late April.
The good part is that he didn't go through any prolonged phase of losing his independence (he was very firm about being the "boss" so to speak, even when I saw him about 3 weeks ago, in a good, good way!).
Now here's where it gets sad ... he had asked for me to come, and I was arriving two days before he died, and then I had a retinal detachment so had emergency eye surgery. Difficult to understand why that happened when it did.
I'm so sorry for your loss.
Quote:
Originally Posted by denverian
So my dad was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer back in December. They found cancer cells in October, but the diagnosis took 2 months. At that time, their case worker told me they didn't expect him to live much more than 2 months, and to live 6 months (based on statistics) would be a miracle.
So here he is today, still alive over 6 months later. He was even able to drive 800 miles to come visit his grandchildren a few weeks ago. He went through very intensive chemo for 3 months and is now on an every other week schedule. He was eating quite well when he was here, but I think the altitude was getting to him after a couple days. He was very thin and weak at times, but he said he'd started putting weight back on and he seemed completely normal in the morning when he had energy.
Anyway, I talked to my mom last night and they decided he doesn't have pancreatic cancer. He doesn't have a tumor on his pancreas. The still aren't exactly sure what it is, but they're (The VA) aurthorizing him to receive care at a major university hospital that specializes in cancer treatment and may be able to get him into clinical trials. They put something in to drain fluid from his lung every other day and have a home health worker coming to help with that. It's still scary, but the news is positive at the same time.
It sounds to me like they sort of wrote him off, thinking he wouldn't survive pancreatic cancer. After seeing him improve, they decided to move forward with other options/better treatment. They're going to do tests at the Univ. hospital to try and figure out exactly what type of cancer he has and get the right chemo going.
Whatever it turns out to be, I hope he does well. Good luck.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JonDoeUK
Nobel winner Dr Ralph Steinman had pancreatic cancer too, he used his own discovery (Dendritic cells) and other drugs (hedgehog inhibitors and so on one site states) and he was alive for 4.5 years, some say the kind he had was so lethal that only 5% make it to a year. Also look in to Photodynamic therapy, Cryoablation, Radiofrequency ablation, HIFU and SonoPhoto dynamic therapy too
Quote:
Originally Posted by JonDoeUK
This is ''alternative'' (GcMAF)
Effects of vitamin D(3)-binding protein-derived macrophage activating factor (GcMAF) on angiogenesis.
Abstract
BACKGROUND:
The vitamin D(3)-binding protein (Gc protein)-derived macrophage activating factor (GcMAF) activates tumoricidal macrophages against a variety of cancers indiscriminately. We investigated whether GcMAF also acts as an antiangiogenic factor on endothelial cells.
METHODS:
The effects of GcMAF on angiogenic growth factor-induced cell proliferation, chemotaxis, and tube formation were examined in vitro by using cultured endothelial cells (murine IBE cells, porcine PAE cells, and human umbilical vein endothelial cells [HUVECs]) and in vivo by using a mouse cornea micropocket assay. Blocking monoclonal antibodies to CD36, a receptor for the antiangiogenic factor thrombospondin-1, which is also a possible receptor for GcMAF, were used to investigate the mechanism of GcMAF action.
RESULTS:
GcMAF inhibited the endothelial cell proliferation, chemotaxis, and tube formation that were all stimulated by fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2), vascular endothelial growth factor-A, or angiopoietin 2. FGF-2-induced neovascularization in murine cornea was also inhibited by GcMAF. Monoclonal antibodies against murine and human CD36 receptor blocked the antiangiogenic action of GcMAF on the angiogenic factor stimulation of endothelial cell chemotaxis.
CONCLUSIONS:
In addition to its ability to activate tumoricidal macrophages, GcMAF has direct antiangiogenic effects on endothelial cells independent of tissue origin. The antiangiogenic effects of GcMAF may be mediated through the CD36 receptor.
Vitamin D binding protein-macrophage activating factor (DBP-maf) inhibits angiogenesis and tumor growth in mice.
We have isolated a selectively deglycosylated form of vitamin D binding protein (DBP-maf) generated from systemically available DBP by a human pancreatic cancer cell line. DBP-maf is antiproliferative for endothelial cells and antiangiogenic in the chorioallantoic membrane assay. DBP-maf administered daily was able to potently inhibit the growth of human pancreatic cancer in immune compromised mice (T/C=0.09). At higher doses, DBP-maf caused tumor regression. Histological examination revealed that treated tumors had a higher number of infiltrating macrophages as well as reduced microvessel density, and increased levels of apoptosis relative to untreated tumors. Taken together, these data suggest that DBP-maf is an antiangiogenic molecule that can act directly on endothelium as well as stimulate macrophages to attack both the endothelial and tumor cell compartment of a growing malignancy
Pancreatic carcinogenesis: apoptosis and angiogenesis.
Apoptosis and angiogenesis are critical biologic processes that are altered during carcinogenesis. Both apoptosis and angiogenesis may play an important role in pancreatic carcinogenesis. Despite numerous advances in the diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic cancer, its prognosis remains dismal and a new therapeutic approach is much needed. Recent research has revealed that apoptosis and angiogenesis are closely interrelated. Several reports show that a tumor suppresser gene that is expressed in pancreatic carcinoma and related to malignant potential can induce apoptosis and also inhibit angiogenesis. At present, it is generally accepted that tumor growth in cancers, including pancreatic cancer, depends on angiogenesis. We have identified 2 new angiogenesis inhibitors from a conditioned medium of human pancreatic carcinoma cell line (BxPC-3): antiangiogenic antithrombin III (aaAT-III) and vitamin D binding protein-macrophage activating factor (DBP-maf). These molecules were able to regress tumors in severe combined immunodeficiency disease (SCID) mice, demonstrating potent inhibition of endothelial cell proliferation. Moreover, the angiogenesis inhibitors induced tumor dormancy in the animal model. These results suggest that antiangiogenic therapy using angiogenesis inhibitors may become a new strategy for treatment of pancreatic cancer in the near future.
I guess the good news is the cancer isn't progressing at this time. I feel so lucky, hubby didn't have to have Chemo, just radiation and even that took a toll on him.
Prayers to you and your family and keep us posted.
[quote=PedroMartinez;35756413]I apologize for not checking back in for so long.
My father is still receiving chemo at MD Anderson in Houston. The cancers (main on pancreas, others in liver and spine) have continued to decrease in size.
About a month ago, he started feeling worse about each chemo treatment. For a few months, it would hit him for a couple of days, but then he'd bounce back. Now it seems that the chemo keeps him down for over a week (his treatment is every other Wednesday).
The biggest battle over the last month has been calorie intake. He just never seems hungry. He also just had a problem with constipation. They "fixed" that, but it's gone in the other direction to diarrhea, and the obvious fear there is dehydration.
Overall, it's still looking real good; although, the toll of the chemo is lower QOL.
loss.
Whatever it turns out to be, I hope he does well. Good luck.
quote]
Yeah, I could tell with my father that the chemo really does take its toll. He was very thin and while he'd seem normal in the morning, by afternoon, he had to nap and became weak and tired. But he ate fairly well while they were visiting us in May and his weight has gone up a bit.
Well, my dad is moving to Hospice care. The chemo the VA gave him was no longer working, so there was about a 6 week break with no chemo, then he started at a university hospital. I don't understand why there was the long gap, but both of my parents are about useless when it comes to pushing issues. They also changed the diagnosis from pancreatic cancer to metastatic something... I forgot the long word.
Anyway, my mom called crying on Saturday about how my dad hadn't moved in days, no longer eating, etc. I talked to my uncle, who lives near them (I'm 700 miles away) and he went over there and got him to a hospital. It sounds like he's just not doing well with the new chemo and has given up. I didn't ask, but it sounds like they may be stopping the chemo at this point. He should have lived at least another 15 years, but it is what it is.
Well, my dad is moving to Hospice care. The chemo the VA gave him was no longer working, so there was about a 6 week break with no chemo, then he started at a university hospital. I don't understand why there was the long gap, but both of my parents are about useless when it comes to pushing issues. They also changed the diagnosis from pancreatic cancer to metastatic something... I forgot the long word.
Anyway, my mom called crying on Saturday about how my dad hadn't moved in days, no longer eating, etc. I talked to my uncle, who lives near them (I'm 700 miles away) and he went over there and got him to a hospital. It sounds like he's just not doing well with the new chemo and has given up. I didn't ask, but it sounds like they may be stopping the chemo at this point. He should have lived at least another 15 years, but it is what it is.
hugs to you and offering up white light and peace for your dad.
Metastatic cancer is a cancer that has spread from the part of the body where it started (the primary site) to other parts of the body. When cancer cells break away from a tumor, they can travel to other areas of the body through the bloodstream or the lymph system (which contains a collection of vessels that carry fluid and immune system cells).
hugs to you and offering up white light and peace for your dad.
Metastatic cancer is a cancer that has spread from the part of the body where it started (the primary site) to other parts of the body. When cancer cells break away from a tumor, they can travel to other areas of the body through the bloodstream or the lymph system (which contains a collection of vessels that carry fluid and immune system cells).
Thank you! Yes, that's what I read, but in my father's case, they never figured out where the cancer started.
I'm trying to work, but so sad. I keep having flashback memories of my dad in different places, different times of life.
When they were at our house in May, he was so thin, but in the mornings he had more energy. I made him breakfast and he was eating, joking with his grandsons and everything seemed so normal. Until I noticed how his hands were shaking, then I had to leave the room to cry. Didn't want him to see that. I just hope he isn't feeling anything right now.
My mom is a huge mess and she can't stay living on her own, but she won't leave their house. May have to call APS on her because she has psychological issues and can't walk well. I keep feeling angry that it's not her dying. She's been a horrible burden to everyone around her for many years, and my dad took care of her. I know that doesn't sound nice, but it's what I'm feeling. If she died, it would have been easy to move my dad near us and get on with life. This is just leaving a huge mess to deal with. HUGE.
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