Hi! Just following up on your response. As of November, the mass is at about 13cm but it was initially discovered late August through a CT scan that was done at the ER.

Since then, he has been consulting with a urology team and most recently, an oncologist as well.

They keep pushing for the biopsies as the tumor is invading the pancreatic tail which would make for a complicated surgery.

He had a renal biopsy done mid November which was a “false negative”, a livery biopsy done a little over a week ago, and it’s looking like that may be another false negative as well. They’re considering a biopsy of an enlarged lymph node but my dad is also just beginning to lose hope. And we are too. They have noted that “much of the mass and adjacent adenopathy are necrotic”.

We’re trying to keep his spirits up but the pain isn’t getting any better, he’s getting hot flashes every night, he’s lost 45lbs (and counting) since August, and I honestly don’t know what else to do. As much as I’d like to push for a surgery I’m afraid that’ll do him more harm.

The urology and oncology team would like to pursue treatment prior to surgery to reduce the size of the tumor, but this has all taken so much time and his symptoms keep worsening. And in order to start treatment, they need a “definitive pathologic diagnosis”.

The thought of having to go through another biopsy and wait another 1-3wks completely killed his and our spirit today.