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Is It Possible For Cancer Cells To Spread To Form Pancreatic Cancer In Few Weeks?
Hello,
my sister was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer 3 months ago. With sadness, she died 2-weeks ago.
Three weeks prior to her diagnosis, her MRI, CT Scans and ultra sounds were clean and clear, with cancer count in blood being 30. Is it possible that cancer cells were microscopic, and if so, to have spread from a possible benign lesion to an automatic stage 4 aggressive pancreatic cancer in just three weeks?
We, the Family, are most distressed and wish to understand the cancer killed our sister. With thanks, Vicki
my sister was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer 3 months ago. With sadness, she died 2-weeks ago.
Three weeks prior to her diagnosis, her MRI, CT Scans and ultra sounds were clean and clear, with cancer count in blood being 30. Is it possible that cancer cells were microscopic, and if so, to have spread from a possible benign lesion to an automatic stage 4 aggressive pancreatic cancer in just three weeks?
We, the Family, are most distressed and wish to understand the cancer killed our sister. With thanks, Vicki
posted on
Thu, 13 Mar 2014
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Thu, 13 Mar 2014
Answered on
Fri, 14 Mar 2014
Last reviewed on
hi,
Sorry for your loss. it is surprising that within 3 weeks cancer usurped the body from nowhere. Do you mean cancer count by tumor marker (ca 19.9?)?
Has she undergone PET scan earlier? CT, MRI and Ultrasound will certainly help, but they are mere shadows. They tend to miss significant cancers (very rarely) owing to the location of the tissue and hence it can be presumed that they did not "pick up" the cancer earlier rather than thinking that cancer has just grown fast in 3 weeks.
Even though rare, we have to concede it. Hope i was of some help.
Sorry for your loss. it is surprising that within 3 weeks cancer usurped the body from nowhere. Do you mean cancer count by tumor marker (ca 19.9?)?
Has she undergone PET scan earlier? CT, MRI and Ultrasound will certainly help, but they are mere shadows. They tend to miss significant cancers (very rarely) owing to the location of the tissue and hence it can be presumed that they did not "pick up" the cancer earlier rather than thinking that cancer has just grown fast in 3 weeks.
Even though rare, we have to concede it. Hope i was of some help.
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