In the middle of July, Sandy began to itch all over. Nothing seemed to relieve the itching. That began a series of appointments with various doctors, numerous referrals and tests, and a lot of waiting. It was determined that she had a stricture, or blockage, in the bile duct. Doctors inserted a stent, which relieved the buildup of bile and the itching, but was merely a temporary solution. At one point, she traveled to Kansas City for a scan that doctors fully expected would reveal a mass needing to be removed. Nothing was found. Further tests indicated that she either had the beginnings of a cancerous tumor of the bile duct, or she had autoimmune pancreatitis. Doctors said that 90% of these cases end up being a tumor. Because of the similarities between the two possible diagnoses, they cannot rule out cancer. Since treatment for autoimmune pancreatitis would exacerbate a cancerous situation, it is not a great option to pursue. This type of cancer does not respond to chemo or radiation, making surgery the only - and best! option. Here is a link to an explanation about this type of surgery.
http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/liver_tumor_center/conditions/bile_duct_cancer.html#.VAEf5oyTyRs.email
Decisions about when, where, who, etc will likely be finalized this week. We will post as we have solid information to share.
Due to the rarity of this type of cancer, the effectiveness of alternative treatments is unknown. Sandy and her team are diligently pursuing the best route. While many people have wonderful stories of eradicating cancer with non-surgical methods, each type of cancer - let alone each individual body - responds differently. Please refrain from talking to Sandy about what has worked for others, as it quickly becomes overwhelming in a sea of already overwhelming options and decisions. You're welcome to email her daughters if you feel you have information that will be helpful. Thanks for your understanding!
