Hello SBeater91

I'm sorry to hear that your Dad is struggling with his diet.

Please do speak to the Dietician or the team responsible for his care about the issues that he's having as they may be able to help with medication or other suggestions to manage the mucus and nausea. 

If you'd like to speak to one of our nurses you're welcome to call them on 0808 800 4040, Monday to Friday 9 am to 5 pm. They may be able to offer some advice and information. 

I hope that his treatment goes as smoothly as possible and that things improve for him soon. 

Best wishes, 
Jenn
Cancer Chat moderator 

Hey, how is your Dad getting on with chemo? My mum has been diagnosed with a duodenum andenoma carcinoma. She had a stent last week and home now but suffering a lot with sickness which is worrying me as she needs to build her strength before seeing an oncologist. It's a rare cancer so it's hard to find a lot of info about it. Would be great to hear more from your Dad's journey so far. Xx

Hi Ash-777,

My Dad had to have to have a second stent put in as the first one wasnt long enough to open up the Duodenum. However that was a number of weeks ago now. Hes under the cancer unit in Bristol, that have advised to go through Chemo before surgery. He has had 2 sessions out 6, with the third this week. Bit of an offload but thought the specifics would be good as it sounds like your mum is going through the same. Which hospital is she under? The doctors wanted to do chemo begore surgery as they have had good success with other forms of cancer doing it this way. Has your mum been given a plan?

As for food, the new stent has allowed him to eat a moderate amount of food, which has really helped the weight loss and keep his bloods balanced for chemo. We are being militant when it comes to food and the fortijuices as he cant get a bit queezy, so we encourage him, bought a soup maker for the house and that makes a key meal each day.

If you havnt already, sign up with your doctor as a carer as it has fast tracked my mum and me for a Covid jab (Dad had his a while ago) as the concern chemo reduce the efficacy of the vaccine.

There is not too much at all of Duodenum tumours, however my advice is avoid websites like webMD, they spell out the worst and by default go to pancreatic cancer, which it is not.

Let me know how you and your mum are getting on, always happy to share our progress as you said such a little amount of data on this type of cancer.

All the best 

Hi Ash-777,

My Dad was feeling ill for a while after the stent as well but this also down to the fact he hadn't eaten for weeks and that first bit of food is a shock to system. That should reduce over the space of the next few weeks. 

He was delayed by about a month starting chemo due to bloods and the stent blocking again. They sorted his bloods out by giving him an intravenous drip (same as how they fed him for the weeks before). My advice with the stent is regardless whats said avoid red meats, chicken shredded and fish is the only meat my Dad is having as the fibrous nature of red meat can block the stent. Same goes for your brassica veg (onion, cauli, broccoli etc) they can cause issues. Soup goes down well.  With the fortijuices he still has to have 4 a day to top up calorie count but we have started mixing them with to make them nicer. The vanilla flavour in with coffee or mixed with custard for example.

I truely hope they can get your mum onto chemo to reduce the size. The idea with my dad and it came from a Breast Cancer specialist was chemo first to stop any spread, as they have good success with this on Breast Cancer patients.  Then they will perform the Whipple procedure which sounds horrific but hopefully they can remove a smaller amount of internal parts then they would on pancreatic cancer patients. I know the doctors will be doong their best with your mum, but do ask about this process, whether that may be an option. 

The chemo consists of 2 courses of chemo run parralel, he has the first does in hospital over a 2 hour period then has a second concuction that drips slowly over the next 2 days and the district nurses visit to remove it at that point. It sounds intense but again this all part of the plan to get the tumour down in size.

From my understanding there are 4 major oncology departments in the UK for Stomach cancers and a number of other hosptials will report in to them. I say this as my Dad was in one hospital and was transfered to another when we had the first stent issue and they were the surgical team that were in charge but originally managing it through a unit. If you can try to find out the lead surgical team that will looking after your mum.

I hope our experience can shed a bit of light and offer some support for you.

I will keep you updated as things progress, 

Regards

Hey SBeater91,

That's great to know - all this info is much appreciated and so valuable. Mum has her first oncology appointment on Monday so it'll be great to have this insight too. If you don't mind, I'm going to connect with you directly and mesage you as my last post was edited due to confidentiality which I totally understand but if that suits you that would be great to keep in touch.

Thanks :)

Ashling

Hi I was given a document for increasing calories and just general milk for tea and coffee to start

not sure if this info helps

make a mix of Plain Complan - double cream and full fat milk - this is 50 cal per 15 ml so way more then normal milk

use this mix for porriage, mash soups and sauces

use in custard or ice cream 

Add Cheese to mash and make graving from browning

use butter and not marge even simple like thick bread not medium and on jacket spuds

rather then just butter and cheese, scoop out the  potatoe - mix with butter and a soft cheese mix in grated cheese restuff and add cheese this can double the calories

berroca now do tables instead of dissolves if people dont like the taste