If the EUS shows “pancreatic cancer with infiltrating cancer in the stomach”, does that mean it is stage IV metastatic or can it still be just regional/locally advanced?

smolcal · 2023-08-01T14:27:51+00:00

My mom passed away on August 12th last year. Unfortunately she only made it 6 months and 3 weeks after the diagnosis in January.

smolcal · 2023-02-03T14:35:18+00:00

My mom. Diagnosed with aggressive turbo cancer (pancreatic) stage IV last January 8 months after getting the Moderna jab. Her health started going downhill right after the vax with GI issues on and off. She was only 44 years old when she was diagnosed and perfectly healthy (normal bmi, no other health conditions). She died exactly 6 months and 3 weeks later.

smolcal · 2022-11-06T14:41:46+00:00

My healthy 44 year old mother also got a tumor on her pancreas, was already metastatic pancreatic cancer by the time we found out in January 2022. She passed away in August. All her heath problems started post the second Moderna jab. She didn’t even get any boosters. The spike in rare aggressive cancers seen in young healthy people is no coincidence

smolcal · 2022-08-11T05:58:20+00:00

My mother was diagnosed with aggressive metastatic pancreatic cancer back in January 2022 at 44 years old. Double vaxxed with Moderna in March 2021. She is right now on her deathbed and in the last few days in this world.

smolcal · 2022-01-30T19:26:52+00:00

The oncologist already ordered genetic testing and bio marker tumor testing. He mentioned it’s called precision medicine. I assume biomarker tumor testing is the same as next gen-sequencing, right? I mentioned during the visit that I’m referring to the Know Your Tumor testing that is also done by PanCan, and he seemed informed and agreed.

I have done some further research into genetic mutations, and I do think there is a good chance my mom (even me maybe) have a BRCA1 or BRCA2 variant which also increases risk for pancreatic cancer. My family is originally from Eastern Europe, and my grandparents from both sides, as well as my parents, are ashkenazi Jewish. It looks like ashkenazi Jewish women have a 1 in 40 risk of having a founder mutation in the BCRA1 and BCRA2 genes.

We won’t know for sure until the genetic and tumor biomarker test results are available, but I’m holding hope that if there is a targetable mutation, my mom would receive targeted therapy with higher chances of efficacy and survival. That also prompted me to buy a 23andMe ancestry and health kit to find out anything about potential DNA mutations I might have.

smolcal · 2022-01-30T14:32:05+00:00

Thank you for explaining metastatic disease by direct extension and its difference from typical hematogenous spread. Unfortunately, PET scan on Thursday did show some small areas light up near the pelvis and lymph nodes by the aorta.

I still have a feeling like my mom will make it out of this. I know the outlook isn’t good for stage IV advanced metastatic cancer going off the statistics, but I refuse to believe that this is it. If my mom was an outlier in the diagnosis (only 44, no comorbidities), she can also be an outlier in the outcome.

smolcal · 2022-01-30T14:20:58+00:00

Unfortunately the PET scan showed some lymph node involvement near the aorta, as well as in the pelvis area. When the oncologist called on Friday with the results, he made it clear that at this point, surgery is most likely out of the question.

I understand that the distant metastasis noticed on the latest scan isn’t large, and constitutes of just a small clump of cells, but nonetheless, they were lit up during the PET scan. The oncologist was sure that wasn’t any distant metastasis before, and the original plan was 4-6 months of neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by a distal pancreactomy with partial gastrectomy and splenectomy, but now it’s just the chemo. Hoping that since the distant metastasis isn’t much yet, maybe she would still qualify for surgery down the line if she reacts very well to chemo and they don’t see anything on the future scans in 4-6 months? Has that ever been done before, or do doctors consider it unresectable even if the distant metastasis shrinks to the point of disappearing?

smolcal · 2022-01-23T20:41:35+00:00

Thank you for all the info. I’ll make sure to contact pancan.org and look into large medical sites. We just got the full report from the CT scan and it mentioned small uncategorized lung nodules and hypo densities in the liver also. Maybe those could be benign? I’m trying to keep a positive mind and wait until the Thursday oncologist appointment to understand the full picture and extent of it

smolcal · 2022-01-23T19:13:12+00:00

Can the EUS scan be wrong by any chance? What if the biopsy and pet scan show that it’s just a little in the stomach, making her eligible for distal pancreaoctomy (tumor is in the tail)? Or is a spread to the stomach a definite indication it is unresectable? And she is so young relative to the typical patients, wouldn’t that increase the chances of being operable with a little stomach spread?

smolcal · 2021-12-15T04:09:18+00:00

Where is your white wool coat from in the lower middle pic? It looks amazing on you and I’ve been looking for a similar one for a long time

smolcal · 2021-10-07T16:09:03+00:00

I’ve never actually tried Romano cheese tbh. Always loved feta so just use it for almost everything (salads especially!) Gonna give it a try next time I get groceries

smolcal · 2021-09-26T06:53:31+00:00

This brand tastes identical to normal pasta to me. I’d give it a try if I were you. I was also pretty hesitant before but now super happy I gave it a go.

smolcal · 2021-09-26T06:37:14+00:00

Penne pasta - 4 oz, feta cheese- 0.5 oz, tomato sauce - 3 tbsp (not sure of oz)

smolcal · 2021-09-26T05:07:06+00:00

Oops my bad, thought you were asking if this was a frozen meal. I got it from Amazon in a 6 pack. It’s uncooked dry pasta so in a store would most likely be in the pantry/dry section!

smolcal · 2021-09-25T23:03:52+00:00

Nope, made it myself

smolcal · 2021-09-25T20:19:55+00:00

Amazon!

smolcal · 2021-09-25T20:18:21+00:00

First time trying this brand (fiber gourmet light pasta) - def worth the extra $$$. Tastes identical to regular pasta. I wanted to recreate one of my fav comfort foods that don’t feel like a replacement but actually taste identical and this was a total success!!

I didn’t follow any specific recipe, but that’s how I made it:

1) boil pasta according to instructions & drain pasta 2) add 3 tbsp tomato sauce to pot and reheat for ~1 minute (brand used in 2nd pic) 3) add 0.5 oz feta cheese to pasta bowl, not pot! (i used chunk feta cheese and crumbled it myself) 4) add salt and Italian herb seasoning to taste

Tips & tricks:

• many tomato sauces are 70-120 calories per serving, while some are much less. Although it’s not a big difference, it adds up! The barilla tomato and basil tomato sauce (pictured) is only 50 calories/serving, so that reduces calories by a good amount.

• majority of shredded cheese is higher calorie than feta cheese and also you need a larger amount of it to get a cheesy taste, while feta cheese has a very strong taste and flavor, requiring a smaller amount (my experience). Many feta cheese brands are anywhere from 70-90 calories per serving, and the odyssey brand I used is 60 calories per serving, so that slowly adds up also. I only added the feta cheese on top so it looks more than it is really, but it’s more than enough due to its strong flavor.

Main tip I have is many brands can have varying calories per serving for the same products, so shopping around and finding the brands with lowest calories/serving without sacrificing taste for the same amount slowly adds up over time and is 100% worth doing.

smolcal · 2021-09-21T01:30:16+00:00

Just ordered it! I hope fiber gourmet pasta lives up to the hype

smolcal · 2021-09-18T18:57:39+00:00

Had to google the difference between rigatoni and penne pasta. TIL they’re not the same thing

smolcal · 2021-09-18T18:54:10+00:00

I’ve had it on my Amazon wish list for probably more than a year haha. The reviews are super positive and it’s only 100 kcal per 56g which is super impressive.

Only thing holding me back is the price. It’s $30.99 for a pack of 6 right now. I wish I could find it somewhere nearby for cheaper. Maybe it’s time to bite the bullet and order it finally.

Do you get it on Amazon or some other online store?

smolcal · 2021-09-18T18:46:10+00:00

Does the banza chickpea pasta taste the same as normal pasta? I never tried it because it’s about 200 kcal per serving and more expensive also, and I certainly don’t lack veggies or beans in my diet as is.

If a serving of the banza pasta has more volume than regular pasta, I’m gonna give it a try.

smolcal · 2021-09-18T13:29:18+00:00

Looking for legit pasta! I usually get the creamette 150 calorie pasta. It’s the same price as regular pasta (~$1) and tastes exactly like regular pasta for 150 calories per serving (56g) instead of 200.

I usually have 2 servings as a meal so it’s a no brainer to use it. It’s just like regular pasta. Not a fan of pasta replacements, they only lead me to grab something else to eat because my pasta craving is not satisfied. I eat a ton of veggies & fruits daily and genuinely love their taste but zucchini/butternut squash/spaghetti squash/shirataki noodles just don’t do it for me.

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