In these instances, a PD is performed to achieve a reasonable goal, palliation, and the term palliative Whipple accurately describes the procedure.
In situations where the cancer has spread and cannot be completely removed by surgery, a priority is to alleviate, or palliate, symptoms such as jaundice, pain, nausea, and digestive difficulties. Palliative surgical and endoscopic techniques are meant to improve quality of life and make the patient more comfortable.
Overall, the five-year survival rate after a Whipple procedure is about 20 to 25%. Even if the procedure successfully removes the visible tumor, it's possible that some cancer cells have already spread elsewhere in the body, where they can form new tumors and eventually cause death.
The Whipple procedure is a difficult and demanding operation and can have serious risks. However, this surgery is often lifesaving, particularly for people with cancer.
If a Whipple procedure is done on the right patient for the right reason at the right time by the right surgeon, patients can expect a full return to the quality of life they had before cancer.
But a Whipple procedure is a very complex operation that often causes major changes to the digestive system. This can translate into some serious long-term effects, including abdominal discomfort, weight loss, digestive problems, and chronic fatigue.
The median overall survival of metastatic pancreatic cancer is 8–11 months and the median overall survival of locally advanced (but not metastatic) inoperable pancreatic cancer is 12–14 months [3, 4].
Pancreatic cancer is stubborn. Despite recent developments in treatment, 90% of people with the disease die within five years of diagnosis.
For most cancers where palliative chemotherapy is used, this number ranges from 3-12 months. The longer the response, the longer you can expect to live.
There is no doubt that the Whipple procedure is a painful operation. This is largely due to the extent of the organs being removed or rearranged and the proximity of the pancreas to nerves as they exit the spine at the back of the abdomen during the operation.
Whipple Surgery by the Numbers
The procedure takes 4-12 hours. Recovery in the hospital can last 7-14 days. Healing at home takes about 2 weeks. You can return to normal life after 4-6 weeks.
This is a complex operation that will require hospitalization for one to two weeks with the first post-surgery night spent in the intensive care unit before being transferred to the surgical floor. Patients usually remain fatigued for about two months after this operation.
After pancreatic cancer surgery 75% of patients have pancreatic cancer recurrence. Systemic adjuvant therapy is given after the tumor has been resected and works throughout the body to decrease the chance of pancreatic cancer recurrence.
Stage IV pancreatic cancer has a five-year survival rate of 1 percent. The average patient diagnosed with late-stage pancreatic cancer will live for about 1 year after diagnosis.
If you are approaching the end of life, the cancer may cause symptoms such as pain, fatigue (extreme tiredness), sickness, weight loss and bowel problems. Not everyone will get all of the symptoms we've included in this section.
Pancreatic cancer is rarely diagnosed at this early stage, as it does not produce early symptoms. Survival rates decrease with age. For example, the median age for diagnosis is 70, and the median age of death from pancreatic cancer is 72. However, many treatments can improve a person's quality of life.
Pancreatic cancer is one of the most painful types of cancer because it invades and presses on the nerves near the pancreas leading to pain in the back or abdomen. Pain seems to be the most distressing symptom in patients with pancreatic cancer.
You can receive palliative and supportive care at any age and for any type and stage of cancer, and it can be given at any time during cancer treatment. This includes soon after learning you have cancer. Research shows that palliative and supportive care can improve the quality of your life.
Stage 4 pancreatic cancer has spread beyond the pancreas and into other organs. Doctors are not able to cure the cancer at this stage, and treatments aim to improve the person's quality of life, relieve their symptoms, and prolong their life.
Changes to their skin and feeling cold
Towards the end, your family member's skin may become blue, grey or pale. Their hands, feet, arms and legs may feel cold. Layers of clothes or bedding can help keep them comfortable.
For how long do I have to take creon? If you have had surgery to remove your entire pancreas or if it has been damaged by cancer, you will need to take creon for the rest of your life.
How will I feel after having the Whipple procedure? Following the surgery, you may experience pain from the incision. You can resume eating and drinking by mouth several days after surgery. At first, the stomach may not empty well, causing a bloated or full feeling.
Avoid fried, greasy and fatty foods. These foods are hard to digest with an altered pancreas. Choose baked, broiled, or grilled foods instead. After a Whipple procedure, it is often recommended to limit fat intake to no more than 40-60 grams per day.