Pancreatic Cancer: A Story of Recovery with Whipple Surgery

Pancreatic cancer is known to be an insidious and aggressive disease. However, with the right treatment and the intervention of expert surgeons, patients can unexpectedly regain their health. Hasan Hüseyin Sevindik's story tells the difficult process he went through after being diagnosed with a pancreatic head tumor and his recovery with the Whipple surgery.

Complaints: Abdominal Pain, Back Pain and Jaundice

Hasan Hüseyin Sevindik went to the doctor with symptoms such as abdominal and back pain, sudden weight loss and yellowing of the eyes. Hasan Hüseyin, who did not know what these symptoms meant at first, realized over time that he was facing a serious health problem. Jaundice is one of the most common symptoms of pancreatic cancer and occurs when the tumor presses on the bile duct. Weight loss and pain were signs that the disease was starting to weaken the body.

Tests and Diagnosis: CA 19-9 Elevation

Doctors performed various imaging and blood tests to make a diagnosis. Computerized tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) methods detected a tumor in the head of the pancreas. In addition, a CA 19-9 test performed on Hasan Hüseyin's blood provided clues about the cancer. CA 19-9 is a tumor marker that is usually elevated in pancreatic cancer. As a result of these tests, a tumor was found in the head of the pancreas and surrounding blood vessels.

Surgery Not Given a Chance

Initially, Hasan Hussein's condition was considered serious. Doctors decided that the tumor was inoperable due to the invasion of the vena porta (a condition in which a pancreatic tumor spreads to a main vein). The tumor's involvement in important veins made surgery very risky, and some doctors could not recommend surgery for this reason.

Salvation with Whipple Surgery and Vascular Surgery

Hasan Hüseyin was told that he had to accept this difficult situation before the Ramadan holiday. However, he did not lose hope. After being evaluated by another specialist surgeon, a Whipple operation combined with vascular surgery was recommended. This type of complex surgery is one of the most effective methods used to remove tumors located in the head of the pancreas.

Whipple Surgery (Pancreaticoduodenectomy) is a surgery that removes the head of the pancreas, the duodenum, the gallbladder and part of the bile duct. This surgery can be life-saving even in advanced cases of pancreatic cancer.

In Hasan Hüseyin's surgery, the tumor was successfully removed by working together with vascular surgery.

Read our blog post for detailed information about Whipple Surgery !

Healing Process and Outcome

The surgery was successful and Hasan Hüseyin recovered from the Whipple surgery before the holiday. He had a difficult recovery after the surgery, but he stuck to the treatments recommended by his doctors. In a short time, his symptoms such as abdominal pain and jaundice disappeared, his weight loss stopped and his general condition improved rapidly.

Hasan Hüseyin's story shows that even with difficult diseases such as pancreatic cancer, it is possible to regain health with the right treatment and an expert team. The successful implementation of Whipple surgery and vascular surgery gave him a new chance at life.