So today's appointment with the medical oncologist was...in my sister's own words..."a real slap in the face". Yeah...it's bad. The tumor is in the body of the pancreas and is wrapped around several important blood vessels that feed other nearby organs...therefore, it cannot be removed. Because of this, it is classified as Stage III cancer. Ironically, it has not spread to other areas...that we know of. But because of the blood vessels involved, it's a serious situation. Obviously, we will be seeking a 2nd opinion with a surgical oncologist to determine if it really is inoperable. As for prognosis, the doctor didn't seem like she wanted to pinpoint a timeframe, but kept throwing out "10.5 months" as an "average"...and that was WITH a chemo/radiation program.

I still have hope that seeing a surgical oncologist might see things differently and be able to offer another option for her. She is due to get a detailed CT scan of the pancreas on Wednesday, to get a clearer image of the blood vessels...hopefully this scan will bring a glimmer of hope.

Thank you all again for your thoughts & prayers!

Linda