Barbados Prime Minister Thompson has Pancreatic Cancer

Prime Minister (PM) David Thompson has been diagnosed with Cancer of the Pancreas, according to his personal physician of twenty years, Dr. Richard Ishmael.

Dr. Ishmael in a media statement today, said that the Prime Minister underwent periodic examinations and had tests done while under his care. He had no major health issues throughout the years except for periodic symptoms related to Gastro Esophageal reflux.

In March 2010, the Prime Minister complained of abdominal pain, which didn't respond to the usual Gastro-Esophageal reflux medications, and was scheduled for a CT scan of the abdomen which discovered a problem with the pancreas.

Prime Minister Thompson was referred to surgeons at the New York Presbyterian Hospital of Columbia and Cornell Universities, one of the leading hospitals in the world.

On a second visit to New York in July to undergo a third biopsy, Prime Minister Thompson was diagnosed as having cancer in the head of the pancreas. This is suspected as two-thirds of cancers of the pancreas occurs in this location, also the PM is expected to undergo the Whipple Procedure.

The Prime Minister had returned to Barbados about a week ago, but made an emergency return to his New York after it was discovered by CT scan here in Barbados revealed that he had developed a clot in the veins surrounding and traversing the pancreas.

The PM is expect in the island within a week after undergoing further treatment.

Dr. Ishmael went on to say that the PM has loss considerable weight because of intense chemotherapy as surgeons are unable to operate on the pancreas at it present size and location. After some progress with the chemotherapy which is expected to shrink the pancreas, surgeons are expected to carry out what is referred to as the Whipple procedure which entails the removal of the tumour and part of the pancreas, along with part of the intestine with re-implantation of the pancreatic duct into the small intestine.