CyberKnife Patient Support Group

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Reuven
Registered Member

Date Joined Nov 2006
Total Posts : 3

Posted 11/14/2006 6:59 PM (GMT -8)

My mother 82, recently diagnosed w/ pancreatic tumor, adenocarcinoma, stage 2-3 in head of pancreas. about 4 centimeters, with 2 cancerous spots. Apparently didnt metastisize. (Was told it would have been considered stage 1 if not for the size)

Dr. Evans of MD Anderson, Houston, where she is now, was ready to do whipple surgery on her because she is extremely "young" physically (looks closer to 65) after chemo/radiation (his normal protocal) They just found what they now think is cancer in her lung and he says she is no longer a candidate for surgery. He is sending her back to New Orleans where she lives to just do Chemo.

Not sure why there's no way of finding out for sure. Biopsy?? Told radiation on lung is out. What about cyberknife for both pancreas and lung? And would this type of radiation be ok on lung? Also, would chemo be started before, after or not at all if she was a candidate for Cyberknife?

Thanks...

Jerome J. Spunberg, M.D.
Registered Member

Date Joined Feb 2006
Total Posts : 4214

Posted 11/14/2006 8:38 PM (GMT -8)

First of all, a PET scan if not already done would be helpful in evaluating the significance of the lung lesion. A biopsy of that lung lesion is very reasonable if the lesion is in an accessible location. Secondly, chemotherapy would be the appropriate treatment for disease metastatic to the lung. With a good response, Cyberknife could be considered later on for residual disease in the lung or pancreas.

Most likely, if they ruled out the Whipple procedure at Anderson, there was good reason to do so and they were pretty sure that the cancer had spread or that there was a second cancer in the lung. You need to obtain more information from Dr. Evans with respect to how the decision was made to cancel the surgery in the first place.

Jerome J. Spunberg, M.D., FACR, FACRO
Cyberknife Center Of Palm Beach
jspunberg@radiationoncologyinstitute.com
(561) 799-2828

Radiation Oncology Institute
10335 N. Military Trail, Suite C
Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410
(561) 624-1717

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