scan results => Good News

Phil64
Phil64 Member Posts: 838 Member
Last post I was worried about upcoming scans.

Context. I am 49 year-old male, Stage 4 CRC, diagnosed in June 2011. I originally underwent 11 treatments of Fofox/oxciliplatin before rising CEA levels prompted concern of cancer growth. Even though CT scans were showing all clear, my persistent onc (good thing) called for more tests. An MRI finally revealed two clear larger tumors and possibly five or more smaller tumors. This MRI was of poor quality supposedly due to me breathing when I should have been holding my breath. Anyway, the radiologist reported the as possible smaller tumors / metastisis but inconclusive.

Because of the possible additional tumors surgery was not given as an option; instead the prognosis was to receive four treatments of Fofiri and Erbitux, repeat scans, and reassess. Over the four treatments my CEA dropped from 40 to 3.4 (the lowest since being tested).

Scans were completed and the results were excellent. The two larger tumors have shrunk considerably and the possible smaller tumors (the shadows that were inconclusive) were not visible at all. I'm now scheduled for liver resection sergery on 4/19 (allowing some time to recover from chemo).

Woo hooo!!!

As part of the operation the surgeon will do an ultrasound of the liver. This will supposedly be a much better / more accurate image of the liver.

The best possible scenario (what we are hoping for) is that the smaller tumors were not tumors at all. In this scenario the ultrasound and visible inspection will show a healthy liver except for the two known tomors. The worst possible scenario is that the inspection and ultrasound show many tumors, too many to deal with surgically. In this case they will not even cut out the two known tumors.

I suppose that the probable scenario is somewhere inbetween?

So, one hurdle passed, onto the next!

One question I have (in case some of you have crossed this road) is related to the upcoming liver resection. They are planning to use the da vinci to do the surgery (e.g. mininmally invasive surgery). The surgeon said that I'll be in the hospital for one night and to plan on a two week recovery then back to work (office job). Have any of you gone through this type of liver resection? Is this consistent with your experience?

Comments

  • Sundanceh
    Sundanceh Member Posts: 4,392 Member
    Did da Vinci Too...

    BUT..

    on my lung not liver....that hospital stay was approx 7-days....

    At the time we were the first patient/surgeon tandem in NTX to do da Vinci robotic surgery on ling - we made history in the process - and the success of the surgery netted a brand new 1.5M  state of the art robot for the hospital I served at.

    good luck phil

  • maglets
    maglets Member Posts: 2,576 Member
    Sundanceh said:

    Did da Vinci Too...

    BUT..

    on my lung not liver....that hospital stay was approx 7-days....

    At the time we were the first patient/surgeon tandem in NTX to do da Vinci robotic surgery on ling - we made history in the process - and the success of the surgery netted a brand new 1.5M  state of the art robot for the hospital I served at.

    good luck phil

    philly

    philly that sounds grand.....my liver resections have had much longer hospital times....5-7 days and sure no 2 week recovery ......so I say yayyyyy!! da V.....you just go boy

    good stuff......congrats, mags

     

  • janderson1964
    janderson1964 Member Posts: 2,215 Member
    I have had 3 liver

    I have had 3 liver resections. All open surgeries. They took some othe body parts out on the last one as well. I was out of the hospital on the third day of the first 2 and on the seventh day of the last one. I was back to work in 2 weeks.

  • Chelsea71
    Chelsea71 Member Posts: 1,169 Member
    Hi Phil. That does sound like
    Hi Phil. That does sound like good news. April 19 is right around the corner! I will be rooting for you.

    Steve has liver mets too. Has had ct scans and an MRI. I've been wondering about something. Maybe someone here knows. With peritoneal metastasis often pets and ct's underestimate the extent of the disease. In general, scans are less accurate at detecting these tumors. I wonder, with liver tumors, do scans typically give an accurate picture as to how much cancer is present. Or, when they open folks up for surgery, do they often find more tumors than indicated by the scans? Anybody know?

    Chelsea
  • devotion10
    devotion10 Member Posts: 623 Member
    40 to 3.4 ... now how good is that!

    No experience with liver resection ... but just wanted to say happy for you. -- Cynthia

  • AnnLouise
    AnnLouise Member Posts: 276 Member
    Great news on the CEA.....

    I had one liver resection and it was not minimally invasive. Hospital stay 5-7 days and recovery more than 2weeks.....so your surgery sounds great. Hope all goes well and you have the best scenario possible. Sending positive thoughts your way.....~Ann

  • geotina
    geotina Member Posts: 2,111 Member
    Phil:

    Now that is really good news!  Congratulations!  See, that darn rash was worth it after all.  I'm assuming the resection will be through the U of M, excellent facility.  If you or your family need anything, I'm only a half hour away. 

    Best to you and your family - Tina

  • Momof2plusteentwins
    Momof2plusteentwins Member Posts: 509 Member
    Phil
    YAY, Excellent news. When I had my liver resection my surgeon did an ultrasound on my liver while I was opened and did not find any other tumors. He also said if he found anything else he would close me back up. My surgeon said he didn't expect to find anything else and I don't expect yours to find anything else either. Best of luck.
    Sandy :)
  • k44454445
    k44454445 Member Posts: 494
    Phil

    i am so happy for you!

    hugs & prayers

    judy

  • Maxiecat
    Maxiecat Member Posts: 544 Member
    good news.  Sorry I cant help

    good news.  Sorry I cant help you with your liver resection questions.

     

    alex

  • wolfen
    wolfen Member Posts: 1,324 Member
    Maxiecat said:

    good news.  Sorry I cant help

    good news.  Sorry I cant help you with your liver resection questions.

     

    alex

    Phil

    Just wanted you to know I'm still here on the sidelines rooting for your success. My JBG has had a liver resection followed a few months later by an RFA. I'm sorry I don't know the specifics, but of course, the RFA is much easier on the ol' bod. You will do fine.

    And congrats on that CEA!

    Luv,

    Wolfen

  • dmj101
    dmj101 Member Posts: 527 Member
    Glad there is some good

    Glad there is some good news!!!

    Phil I cannot add anything about Liver(I probably will need to learn more about it as I live longer). but I am happy you are a good path..

    I will be praying for you and sending you positive engery...

    Donna

  • Goldie1
    Goldie1 Member Posts: 264 Member
    Woo Hoo is right!!

    So glad to read your good news!  Can't help you with the liver resection but hoping my husband is at that place one day.  

    Ellen

  • annalexandria
    annalexandria Member Posts: 2,571 Member
    Congratulations!

    Always so nice to read good news!  AA