Liver Resection for Stage IV cc

lolpz
lolpz Member Posts: 12
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
i'm fairly new to this site and trying to find out if anyone has had a liver section performed on them..my mother is currently a Stave IV/metasis-liver and just took her to a second opinion and this current doctor suggested a possible liver resection of her right lobe... has anyone had this procedure performed and what were your outcome? thank you to all and may Gob bless every step you and your love ones take

Luis

Comments

  • jcavanaugh
    jcavanaugh Member Posts: 100
    My dad has had more than one spot removed from his liver surgically and had radiofrequency ablation (which is when they zap the spots on your liver without having to open you up). All of his have been successful. He has never had an entire lobe resected before. The only chance for cure is to have the cancer surgically removed. So, I would go with the second opinion. Good luck!
  • markatger
    markatger Member Posts: 314
    Hi Luis,

    Sorry to hear about your Mom's cancer, but glad you found this good source of info and support.

    I haven't had a lobe of my liver resected yet, but likely will sometime this year. My understanding is that the liver can perform just fine even with having an entire lobe re-sected. For example for people who get liver transplants(not that us cancer patients can get transplants, of course) that they can split a donor liver in half and give one lobe to one person and another lobe to a different person...something like that (I swear I'm not making that up!) Others will attest on here of the ability of the liver to manage with large portions removed...I think it even grows back some. I'm sure a few who have had liver resection will post.

    I wish you and your Mom well,
    Maria
  • bickle
    bickle Member Posts: 5
    I am a stomach cancer patient with mets to the liver. My oncologist suggested a resection to be performed by a liver specialist. The surgeon thought that he would need to take about 50% or my right lobe. I had my resection on 5/12/05 and I am doing well. After he got in there he found that he could get both tumors and only took 25% of the liver. I am a 58 year old male, who came home 3 days after surgery with a lifting restriction for 6 weeks. Everyone's case is a little different, and mine has gone very well. I would suggest that you, if you haven't already, talk to a liver specialist. Good luck and may God be with your Mother.
  • StacyGleaso
    StacyGleaso Member Posts: 1,233 Member
    Hi Luis,

    I had a liver resection done. Almost 4 years to my anniversary date. Today, and ever since my surgery, I am thankfully all clear. I had 6 weeks of chemo and radiation prior to surgery, followed by more chemo, and the rest is history. Mine was also stage 4, and I was 33 when I was diagnosed. At times it seems like only yesterday!

    Let me know if I can help more,

    Stacy
  • kickerrn
    kickerrn Member Posts: 22 Member
    Luis
    I had half of my liver resected in Jan'04 and another little piece taken out a couple of weeks ago. The liver is amazing as it is the only organ that can regenerate. When they went in last time they said that my liver had regrown to the same mass as a normal liver. I had no problems with liver failure after either surgery. The recovery the first time was harder for me but this time I am at 80% of my normal feeling already. The feeling is if liver resection is possible it is the best way to go to get a complete cure.
    Take Care
    Barb
  • CAMaura
    CAMaura Member Posts: 719 Member

    Hi Luis,

    I had a liver resection done. Almost 4 years to my anniversary date. Today, and ever since my surgery, I am thankfully all clear. I had 6 weeks of chemo and radiation prior to surgery, followed by more chemo, and the rest is history. Mine was also stage 4, and I was 33 when I was diagnosed. At times it seems like only yesterday!

    Let me know if I can help more,

    Stacy

    Hey there girlie!!

    I've missed seeing your posts. Hope allis well and nice to hear from you.

    Cheers,
    Maura
  • PhillieG
    PhillieG Member Posts: 4,866 Member
    Hi Luis,
    I was diagnosed with Stage IV colon cancer with liver mets last feb 04. I did 6 months of chemo before (FOL-FOX with Avastin), then had 60 % of liver removed (all of left lobe and past of right I believe). My outcome is that here I am writing this to you. The liver is the one organ that will regenerate. It may not get back to it's full size, but it will get back to full operating capacity. I also had a hepatic pump installed that gave me chemo to my liver for another 6 months. I finished chemo in early April. So far, so good. The surgery wasn't the most fun, the did a colon resection (no bag thankfully) and the liver suregery at the same time so it was a rough go for a bit. I did have a 'minor' problem with scar tissue fro the liver operation that caused a bowel obstruction. No unusual, really sucked. Had to go back in for another operation. But I went back to work in January, feel good, started kayaking and swimming most every day. It's important to have a good surgeon. I'm glad I had the resection, this way I'm pretty confident they got all of the cancer. Good luck to you and your Mom. If I can be of any other help, let me know
    -Phil
  • lolpz
    lolpz Member Posts: 12

    My dad has had more than one spot removed from his liver surgically and had radiofrequency ablation (which is when they zap the spots on your liver without having to open you up). All of his have been successful. He has never had an entire lobe resected before. The only chance for cure is to have the cancer surgically removed. So, I would go with the second opinion. Good luck!

    Thank you for replying and sharing your information with me...and for wishing me luck....I hope you and your father and enjoying this father's day in good health..

    Luis
  • madu
    madu Member Posts: 53
    Sorry for the delay in responding - I had a liver resection 8/98 for 1 met. They removed one lobe and some of the colon. I did have some pain after the surgery - I was in for 10 days - and they said that was mainly due to the liver resection as the colon does not have pain receptors. Other than that no liver problems at all. I went through 8 months of 5FU and leucovorin, 28 days of radiation and have been in remission since 1/99 - almost 7 years which is a small miracle for stage IV - maybe it will work for your mom.

    Heidi
  • rpeacock
    rpeacock Member Posts: 1
    My husband had a resection in November 2003, they took out 3/4 of his liver and did radiation on the rest. He did very well. His doctor is at Shands in Gainesville, FL, who had been at MD Anderson. Right now there are some nodules on his lungs...next place rectal cancer mets at. Waiting for oncologist to give us options of treatments. Anyone out there have any suggests about lung mets? Treatment? Curability?