How can one person be so Lucky?

[Condor77]

Diagnosed in December 2022 with Stage 4 metastatic PC Gleason 4 + 3, due to a PSMA Pet Scan. Highest my PSA got was 7.4, Pet Scan discovered a small spot on my T2 vertebrae that the MRI and bone scan did not find. I subsequently started on a regimen of Lupron and Erleada, adjusted to the SE and moved on with my life. PSA went to 0 in about 6months, I have adjusted to the SE of PC after the RT & Lupron. I always had been a very healthy person, never caught a cold, never missed a day of work due to illness in 52 years. Am 70 now.

MO said “5 years ago I would have given you 3-5 years to live, now I would say 8-10 years and probably longer”. Due to the progressions/advances in PC medicines, I figured I would die with the disease and not because of the disease.

On the one year anniversary of the original PSMA Pet scan the MO ordered another PSMA Pet scan because he said that in 5% of PC cases the PC could still be growing but not showing up on a PSA test.

The results of the Pet scan were good, several of the lymph nodes had reduced to no evidence, the T2 vertebra spot had gone from a SUV value of 74 in 2023 to SUV of 24 in 2024. Basically the PC was still there, growing smaller and under control.

Then came the bombshell, the scan also revealed a 4.4 CM mass on my pancreas. Went through biopsy, it is pancreatic cancer Stage 1B or 2A. As I have come to find out Pancreatic Cancer is the worst cancer a person can get and the only way it is cured is to remove the tumor before it metastasizes. It is an extremely fast growing cancer and there are no blood tests or any other tests that will reveal it before it metastasizes and starts shutting organs down. Average life expectancy after it metastasizes is about 3 months, 70-80% of people discover the cancer that way.

I was a little lucky in that my cancer was discovered accidentally, which is the only way that people catch the cancer in time to cure it. Went to see the doctor, he declared that my treatment was going to be “curative and not pallative”.

I have started a course of 6 months of Chemo, then 1 month rest, then a distal Pancreatomy which removes the tail of the Pancreas and the Spleen. I have just started the Chemo which is really nasty. I had drugs dripped into me for 7 hours, they instructed my that I should use a bathroom at home that no one else should use, keep toilet lid down so that the chemicals do not affect anyone else. Not only did I have a 7 hour infusion but I have another pump that continues to pump a medicine into my body for 46 hours after the initial infusion.

MO says he gives me 50% chance of being alive in 5 years. Interestingly he also said he considers PC to be the most easily treated, most survivable internal cancer that a person can get, and Pancreatic Cancer to be the absolute worst aggressive cancer a person can have. After the operation I will get scans every 2 months to see if I have any other places where the cancer pops up, if nothing appears after one year, things are looking good, after 5 years, I am considered cured.

My plan is to beat the Pancreatic cancer and then go on to my battle with PC.

How lucky can one person get?

[Don717]

Geez. Best wishes to you and keep that attitude going forward!! One of my friends' buddy was diagnosed stage 4 pancreatic cancer and told 6-12months with chemo. That was 18 months ago and he's still doing very well. Keep up the fight on both fronts sir!

[MyDad76]

I'm sorry to hear that, but so great that it has been caught in time. My mom died 8.5 months after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Usually when it is caught in time it is by coincidence - regular check-ups etc.

[Hidden]

Yes once you get scans they find other things. I recently was diagnosed with Stage 1 kidney cancer found incidentally because of PCa, Surgery to remove part of the kidney….all gone. Had a followup scan 3 months later and its looking good. Now scans just for that annually (coordinated with my pca dr).

[Tall_Allen]

Is it the type of pancreatic cancer on which Lutathera can be used? I know there are different types. I woman I know had Lutathera for metastatic pancreatic cancer and remains disease free for 3 years so far.

[Condor77 in reply to Tall_Allen]

I am unaware of that medicine, I will look into it, thanks

[Dachshundlove]

what an amazing story! May I suggest you entitle it THANK God for Prostate Cancer?

I hope you stay resilient in the face of that nasty life saving brew of chemo.

We’ve known a few good people

Who weren’t as lucky with the pancreatic cancer. There is a fascinating story in Jimmy Carter’s history related to his familial pancreatic cancer. His father, brother and 2 sisters died from it. His mother survived it. Jimmy Carter was dispatched to Ottawa (I think) in 1952 as a Naval Marine to dismantle a nuclear reactor. He was in his late 20s. During this deployment, he received more than a lifetime dose of radiation, while performing his orders.

One theory is this lifetime dose of incidental radiation is why he never succumbed to pancreatic cancer.

Many cancer tumors are exquisitely sensitive to radiation. It’s an amazing story. Worth googling.

Hang on tight to that lucky horse shoe!!!

[Boywonder56]

i think he was being facisious.....fk the horse shoe he needs a ☘️🇨🇮

[Professorgary]

Sorry but I think it has more to do with divine intervention than luck. God Bless!

[j-o-h-n]

Play Lotto............

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n

[LDC2024]

Hey! Just checking in to see how your surgery went? I came across this post by searching “pancreatic cancer” on this thread, as my Dad was recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer (by fluke on a scan…massive bombshell for us) after being diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer in February this year (also a bombshell as he had no symptoms prior to diagnosis). We’re worried sick about the pancreatic cancer. We are hoping he is a candidate for surgery to remove the mass and will know in the coming weeks, but the waiting game is dreadful. I hope you’re hanging in and feeling as well as you could be.