A Family's Pancreatic Cancer Journey
Sometimes a medical decision is too big听for a patient to make alone鈥攅specially when听pancreatic cancer is听迟丑别听diagnosis.听
Joseph Chang, now 84, of Queens, was faced with a听surprise听Stage 1 diagnosis听in听June 2019. His only symptom听at the time, he recalls, was diarrhea.听
鈥淚 found it by accident,鈥 Joseph says. 鈥I went to see my gastroenterologist for a colonoscopy, and told听her听I had a听problem.听She sent me to the lab for a blood test, and later that day, she called to say they found something unusual in my blood.鈥听
The next step听was a CT scan, reviewed by听Rohit听Chandwani, MD, PhD,听a听complex general surgical oncologist at听五月天视频 (WCM).听
Diagnosing his results
鈥淗e听had听this unusual-looking area in the bottom part of the head of his pancreas,鈥澨Dr.听Chandwani听explains.听鈥淭he biopsy originally said he had pancreatic fibrosis,听but it gave me pause.鈥听
Dr.听Chandwani,听assistant attending surgeon,鈥NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital,听and听assistant professor of surgery,鈥疻eill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University,听continued to listen closely,听and听Joseph said he鈥檇 lost weight and been in pain. Those听details听caused听Dr.听Chandwani听to听question the biopsy results.听
鈥淪ometimes there鈥檚 a discordance between the biopsy and the imaging,鈥 Dr.听Chandwani听says.听听
He sent Joseph for a second听biopsy, revealing听pancreatic cancer, Stage 1. The treatment was clear, Dr.听Chandwani听says鈥攁 Whipple procedure.听Surgeons use 迟丑别听,听also called a pancreatoduodenectomy, in which they remove the head of the pancreas, a portion of the stomach, and other nearby tissues.听
Dr.听Chandwani听told Joseph he was a good surgical candidate听because his cancer was in an early stage.听Unsure,听Joseph went for a second opinion.听
Receiving a second opinion from his family
He consulted with an oncologist who was willing to听use听chemotherapy听to shrink the tumor, says听Joseph鈥檚 son,听Eric Chang,听of听New Jersey.听听
鈥淲ithin a day, my father informed Dr.听Chandwani听and his team that my father would pursue this alternative,鈥 Eric says. 鈥Dr.听Chandwani听never told us听not听to pursue the treatment, but did express deep concerns that treatment might not really do anything, potentially making my father less of a candidate for surgery.鈥听听
Joseph鈥檚 son, Tony, of San Diego, was grateful听that Dr.听Chandwani听allowed the whole family to participate in making the decision about Joseph鈥檚 surgery, and made himself available via phone and email when the family had questions.听
鈥淭his decision was too big not to discuss as a family, especially since the treatment seemed daunting for a man of 83,鈥澨Tony听says.听鈥We were concerned about my father handling such a big surgery at his age, but Dr.听Chandwani听was confident that he would recover.鈥听
While Tony used New York City Subway analogies to describe the Whipple procedure to his father, Eric听told his father that most pancreatic cancer patients are听not听good surgical candidates, and that the alternative approach may be听ineffective.听
鈥淢y father did his own research as well, and Dr.听Chandwani听drew us a diagram and used medical illustrations to help explain the surgical techniques and goals,鈥 Tony adds.听
Dr.听Chandwani听was comfortable having 迟丑别听Chang听family on board to help Joseph make his decision about the Whipple procedure.听
鈥My role wasn鈥檛 convincing him to have an operation, but to weigh the risks and benefits in aggregate, and see that the benefits were greater than the risk,鈥 Dr.听Chandwani听says. 鈥I told him I had听successfully听operated on patients his age and older. I felt I could safely get him through the operation.鈥听
Moving forward with the Whipple procedure
After having weighed the non-surgical option, Joseph says,听鈥淓verybody in my family wanted me to have the surgery.听With the surgery听we would have hope. No surgery--no hope.鈥听
Joseph stayed in the hospital for about 15 days following his surgery in August 2019.听
鈥淒r.听Chandwani听and his team were so nice, and I am so grateful,鈥 he says.听听
Eric agrees.听
鈥淭he staff cared for my father as if he were their father,鈥 he听adds. 鈥淭ruly amazing and caring.鈥听
Road to recovery
Although Joseph鈥檚 recovery has not been easy鈥擳ony describes fatigue, and some initial difficulty swallowing鈥攈is energy is up and he is slowly regaining the weight he鈥檇 lost.听
鈥淥verall, his perspective has improved as his condition improved,鈥 Tony says. 鈥淗e knows it鈥檚 a journey and to take it one day at a time.鈥听
More than a year out from his Whipple procedure, Dr.听Chandwani听remains involved in Joseph鈥檚 care.听
鈥Dr.听Chandwani听has been very responsive to any and all concerns,鈥听Tony adds. 鈥My parents are happy with and thankful for the care my dad has received from Dr.听Chandwani听and 五月天视频, and that outlook and trust are important to his physical and mental recovery.鈥听
Joseph has undergone six rounds of chemotherapy since the surgery听and听hopes to be able to听exercise and听go for walks again soon.听
鈥淚鈥檓 going forwards, not backwards,鈥 he听says.听
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