Up-date on ERCP results and coeliac disease

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone,

I saw my consultant to-day.

First, he read through the report of my biopsies since 1988 (which

my gastro gave me the other day) and agreed that it did look as

though I had coeliac disease as well as CP. So now I'll remain

gluten-free and also be low-fat and no-alcohol! Exciting mealtimes

ahead!

He also had the results of the pancreatic juice analysis which was

done as part of ongoing research into secondary screening for

cancer. There are three genetic markers for likely development of

cancer :

(1) K-ras

(2) P53

(3) Can't remember (!!!) but I think it's called P51

(2) and (3) were negative but the K-ras one was positive.

He said he would not advise an operation (TP) on those results as

the K-ras was often positive anyway in people with chronic

pancreatitis, especially older people. However, he did advise more

frequent CT scans than would normally be advised. I'll be having

another one soon after which he'll see me again.

Naturally I'm concerned but another doctor told me that if all three

had been positive then he might well have talked to me again about a

TP.

So there we are. At least I haven't had to wait long for the results

after all.

Fuller details and a much better explanation than I've given is on

the Liverpool website. www.liv.ac.uk/surgery/rsut.html

It's given under the section on " secondary screening " .

The whole website has excellent info on all aspects of pancreatic

disease and treatment.

I hope you are all feeling OK and recovering from New Year

celebrations.

I wish everyone a good and healthier 2005.

With warm wishes,

Fliss (UK)

[Guest guest]

Hi Fliss,

Just wanted to pop in and say that I am happy that you are

getting information that is useful for the long term management

and understanding of your pancreas disease. It sounds to me

as if this is very encouraging news - as far as predicting

malignancy is concerned (I know that it is no guarantee either

way, but it has to be somewhat comforting). And the really

exciting thing to me is the whole research and furthering the

study of pancreas disease that you are participating in. Hopefully

with the data they are gathering this whole CP thing will be less

of a mystery to the medical field and more of a illness that can be

diagnosed and treated successfully in the same manner that we

are making progress with arthritis and rheumatology......I can

only hope that this will occur in our lifetimes.

Laurie

[Guest guest]

That is some of the best news I have heard in a while. Trust me,

you dont want a total. Seems everyday has a new challenge for me.

I long for the day when nothing happens...lol.

You are wll accostomed to the glueten free and low fat so hopefully

putting the two together will not be so bad. there are more and

more news foods coming on the market that are low or fat free. I

love the sweets made with that new sugar called Splenda. I got a

lot of chocolates for Christmas that is made with it and it is very

very good. I dont feel like my sweet tooth is doing without at all.

I trust that you and the men in your life are celebrating some how

this wonderful news. Wish I could be there to toast you with sugar

free soda...lol. So here's to getting nothing but good news, for

you and Jim from now on. Please keep me up to date on how he is

doing.

With all my love,

Chrissy