r/pancreaticcancer • u/Ok_Information_2125 • 3d ago
seeking advice Dad’s pancreatic cancer recurrence
My dad was diagnosed with stage 2b pancreatic cancer in October 2024. He had a whipple on Halloween. He was unable to tolerate chemo and is down to 95 lbs, 5’9”. He found out this week that the cancer has come back in a localized area of the pancreas due to a positive signatera test and PET scan. There are other areas that the report says are highly worrisome, including surrounding lymph nodes. How worried should I be? I feel like his care team are not being transparent about how bad this is. They want to start radiation next week. I am losing my mind and just want answers. TIA
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u/Prestigious_Sign_476 2d ago
Not being able to tolerate treatment is usually a difficult sign. In situations like this, the care team is often weighing whether any treatment can be tolerated at all, and if so, whether it’s likely to provide enough benefit to justify the side effects.
For example, a common first-line option for pancreatic cancer is gemcitabine with Abraxane. If a patient is too frail, the oncologist may sometimes reduce the dose or remove one drug (such as giving gemcitabine alone) in hopes of making it more tolerable. The same principle applies to second-line settings: doctors look for a balance between quality of life and the potential for slowing the cancer.
The hard question is whether a reduced or modified regimen is still “worth it” given his condition. That’s not an easy call—it’s something his oncology team and your family have to weigh together.
Two things are certain right now: 1) You’re not in this alone as we’re all with you. 1) You should spend as much time with you with your father.
Hoping for the best for you and your family .