Nexavar after liver resection

jim2204
jim2204 Member Posts: 13
edited March 2014 in Liver Cancer #1
I had liver resection surgery on 12/15/09 to removed a 7.6cm tumor with good margin. The pathology report indicated the tumor is poorly differentiated with nuclear grade 4 of 4, hep B grade 2 out of 4, extensive vascular invasion and finally Bridging fibrosis stage 3 out of 4. My hepatalogist wants me to consider taking Nexavar starting this month. My latest CT scan shows no new tumors and my blood test also shows the liver functions is back to normal now.
I am leaning not taking Nexavar. Has anyone try Nexavar after resection surgery? love to hear from you.

Comments

  • ljw1121
    ljw1121 Member Posts: 22
    #2
    Why not Nexavar?
    I had a liver transplant in Sept 07 and found a small nodule in my lung that next July. Too small to biopsy so we removed it to see what was up. Came back Metastatic Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Started Nexavar in Oct. and so far so good. What's keeping you from trying it? My next scan is Monday and I'm eager to see the results. 1st scan showed no new growth and increase in size. I was extremely pleased. Hoping for good report again this time. I find that a positive attitude helps me. Keep me informed om what u decide. ljw1121
  • jim2204
    jim2204 Member Posts: 13
    #3
    ljw1121 said:

    Why not Nexavar?
    I had a liver transplant in Sept 07 and found a small nodule in my lung that next July. Too small to biopsy so we removed it to see what was up. Came back Metastatic Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Started Nexavar in Oct. and so far so good. What's keeping you from trying it? My next scan is Monday and I'm eager to see the results. 1st scan showed no new growth and increase in size. I was extremely pleased. Hoping for good report again this time. I find that a positive attitude helps me. Keep me informed om what u decide. ljw1121

    Thanks for your reply
    Dear ljw1121,
    thanks for your reply. did you have liver cancer before transplant and it came back? how was you CT scan? my latest ct scan and blood test came back normal and I still have not decided whether to take Nexavar. please let me how u are doing.
    Jim
  • wwclea01
    wwclea01 Member Posts: 1
    #4
    jim2204 said:

    Thanks for your reply
    Dear ljw1121,
    thanks for your reply. did you have liver cancer before transplant and it came back? how was you CT scan? my latest ct scan and blood test came back normal and I still have not decided whether to take Nexavar. please let me how u are doing.
    Jim

    Hello I am 25 years old and
    Hello I am 25 years old and was diagnosed with liver cancer hepatocellular carcinoma in may of 09. I had a 8 cm tumor removed in july. I do not have hepatitis and it did not make it to lymph nodes was just in the liver. I started taking sorafenib 3 months after surgery. About the only side affect I have from in is dirrea but doesnt bother me too bad. I have been cancer free ever since surgery which is about 9 months. My blood work has been good as well. Hopefully it stays that way. The doctor recomendded I take the sorafenib to prevent reoccurence.
  • slg
    slg Member Posts: 200
    #5
    wwclea01 said:

    Hello I am 25 years old and
    Hello I am 25 years old and was diagnosed with liver cancer hepatocellular carcinoma in may of 09. I had a 8 cm tumor removed in july. I do not have hepatitis and it did not make it to lymph nodes was just in the liver. I started taking sorafenib 3 months after surgery. About the only side affect I have from in is dirrea but doesnt bother me too bad. I have been cancer free ever since surgery which is about 9 months. My blood work has been good as well. Hopefully it stays that way. The doctor recomendded I take the sorafenib to prevent reoccurence.

    Sorafenib
    Congratulations!!! that is very encouraging for all the people out there taking sorafenib (Nexavar). My husband has been on it since January and so far is doing well on it with a few side effects but much better than in the first few weeks.
    SLG
  • labrierie
    labrierie Member Posts: 5
    #6
    Liver Resection and Nexavar
    Sorry it has taken me so long to get on here and make some comments. I had a liver resection in October and and have been on Nexavar since December. I have received clear CT Scans from my liver and my AFP level has been excellent. My liver was healthy other than the cancer tumor so when my doctor suggested this type of chemo I researched it and made what I felt was the best decision was for me. I agree with the other person that said Diarrehea was the worst side effect. In the beginning the hand and foot syndrome is a little tough and as long as I use the kerasal or a salve type cream with urea on my feet twice a day, I am coping pretty well with that. (However, I can't walk the 3 and 5 miles a day like I used to...there will be time to get back to that when the chemo is over.) My last CT Scan showed a small lymph node enlargement on my lung and they think it is an infection of some sort. I was given a large dose of antibiotics and will go back for another CT Scan on May 3 to reevaluate.
    My only concern with my resectioned liver and something to think about, the way this type of chemo works is to slow cell growth and therefore the faster growing cancer cells are targeted. However the new healthy growth cells are also slowed down. So are these cells in jeopardy for regeneration? No good answers for that yet, at least what I have seen. I think this is definetely tolarable and worth a shot. I don't know about you, but I am not near finished living my life! If you have any questions, please let me know. I don't check here too often, but would definetely give you my email address. Just let me know.
  • slg
    slg Member Posts: 200
    #7
    labrierie said:

    Liver Resection and Nexavar
    Sorry it has taken me so long to get on here and make some comments. I had a liver resection in October and and have been on Nexavar since December. I have received clear CT Scans from my liver and my AFP level has been excellent. My liver was healthy other than the cancer tumor so when my doctor suggested this type of chemo I researched it and made what I felt was the best decision was for me. I agree with the other person that said Diarrehea was the worst side effect. In the beginning the hand and foot syndrome is a little tough and as long as I use the kerasal or a salve type cream with urea on my feet twice a day, I am coping pretty well with that. (However, I can't walk the 3 and 5 miles a day like I used to...there will be time to get back to that when the chemo is over.) My last CT Scan showed a small lymph node enlargement on my lung and they think it is an infection of some sort. I was given a large dose of antibiotics and will go back for another CT Scan on May 3 to reevaluate.
    My only concern with my resectioned liver and something to think about, the way this type of chemo works is to slow cell growth and therefore the faster growing cancer cells are targeted. However the new healthy growth cells are also slowed down. So are these cells in jeopardy for regeneration? No good answers for that yet, at least what I have seen. I think this is definetely tolarable and worth a shot. I don't know about you, but I am not near finished living my life! If you have any questions, please let me know. I don't check here too often, but would definetely give you my email address. Just let me know.

    Nexavar
    Hi, I just posted on another subject but wanted to respond to this update. Sounds like you are doing very well. Congrats. I have made contact with one other person on Nexavar from New Orleans. I have found it very helpful to have someone on Nexavar who can share info on side effects, etc. I posted my email on the previous subject. Feel free to email direct so we can keep in contact. I too don't go on this website that often anymore.
    SLG
  • SarahD
    SarahD Member Posts: 139
    #8
    slg said:

    Nexavar
    Hi, I just posted on another subject but wanted to respond to this update. Sounds like you are doing very well. Congrats. I have made contact with one other person on Nexavar from New Orleans. I have found it very helpful to have someone on Nexavar who can share info on side effects, etc. I posted my email on the previous subject. Feel free to email direct so we can keep in contact. I too don't go on this website that often anymore.
    SLG

    wow 25 years old with HCC??
    wow 25 years old with HCC?? How did you deal with that? What treatment did you have? What was your initial prognosis?
  • SarahD
    SarahD Member Posts: 139
    #9
    slg said:

    Nexavar
    Hi, I just posted on another subject but wanted to respond to this update. Sounds like you are doing very well. Congrats. I have made contact with one other person on Nexavar from New Orleans. I have found it very helpful to have someone on Nexavar who can share info on side effects, etc. I posted my email on the previous subject. Feel free to email direct so we can keep in contact. I too don't go on this website that often anymore.
    SLG

    wow 25 years old with HCC??
    wow 25 years old with HCC?? How did you deal with that? What treatment did you have? What was your initial prognosis?
  • sybilwithpms
    sybilwithpms Member Posts: 2
    #10
    Nexavar
    Originally I had a liver resecion in 2006 (Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma) different from hepatocellular but still primary liver cancer. Clear margins with resection so no treatment. In 2008 went for incisional hernia repair.....abdominal mass was found....so back to Mayo. They found another small lesion on liver and removed it. They said the abdominal mass may have been seeded during biopsy or resection, but considered it a recurrence and recommened systemic treatment. I have been on the Nexavar since October of 2008 and have had good reports since. Initial side effects, extreme itching of the scalp, minor hair loss and diarhea. After all this time, side effects are minimal, my main complaint is fatigue. I am sorry for anyone going through this, but am glad to find people that are taking the nexavar. I am my oncologists only patient taking it and was unable to talk to anyone about side effects and managing them.
  • mlidoudou
    mlidoudou Member Posts: 1
    #11
    sybilwithpms said:

    Nexavar
    Originally I had a liver resecion in 2006 (Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma) different from hepatocellular but still primary liver cancer. Clear margins with resection so no treatment. In 2008 went for incisional hernia repair.....abdominal mass was found....so back to Mayo. They found another small lesion on liver and removed it. They said the abdominal mass may have been seeded during biopsy or resection, but considered it a recurrence and recommened systemic treatment. I have been on the Nexavar since October of 2008 and have had good reports since. Initial side effects, extreme itching of the scalp, minor hair loss and diarhea. After all this time, side effects are minimal, my main complaint is fatigue. I am sorry for anyone going through this, but am glad to find people that are taking the nexavar. I am my oncologists only patient taking it and was unable to talk to anyone about side effects and managing them.

    liver resection margins
    Hi there,

    My mom recently had 2/3 of her liver removed for her hilar cholangiocarcinoma. The pathology report says one of the resection magins is narrowly clear (0.1 cm). I am wondering how big were your margins. Secondly, there were occasional lymphovascular permeation around her tumor. I am wondering if she should do chemo to lower her chance of recurrence. I hope someone can give me some insights. Thanks.
  • SarahD
    SarahD Member Posts: 139
    #12
    mlidoudou said:

    liver resection margins
    Hi there,

    My mom recently had 2/3 of her liver removed for her hilar cholangiocarcinoma. The pathology report says one of the resection magins is narrowly clear (0.1 cm). I am wondering how big were your margins. Secondly, there were occasional lymphovascular permeation around her tumor. I am wondering if she should do chemo to lower her chance of recurrence. I hope someone can give me some insights. Thanks.

    Its interesting too see how
    Its interesting too see how every doctor is so different. my dad had a liver resection for hcc in may. 13 cm single tumor staged 2-3 clean margins no mets. He did not have gross blood vessel invasion but he did have microscopic blood vessel invasion. We had our first oncology appointment last week. My dads oncologist advised against sorafenib. I thought becasue there was vessel invasion they would put him on it for sure! But i was wrong..his reasioning was: Sorafenib only slows the growth of tumors. My dad has no evidence of disease at this point. He felt the risks vs benefit was greater. He said there were serious risks associated with this disease such as stroke, heart attacks, and blood clotts. I dont really know..its hard when you hear a million different opinions...how do you kow who is right?
  • Texas T
    Texas T Member Posts: 1
    #13
    ljw1121 said:

    Why not Nexavar?
    I had a liver transplant in Sept 07 and found a small nodule in my lung that next July. Too small to biopsy so we removed it to see what was up. Came back Metastatic Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Started Nexavar in Oct. and so far so good. What's keeping you from trying it? My next scan is Monday and I'm eager to see the results. 1st scan showed no new growth and increase in size. I was extremely pleased. Hoping for good report again this time. I find that a positive attitude helps me. Keep me informed om what u decide. ljw1121

    Transplant and Nexavar
    Hi ljw1121. Nice to find someone in my boat. I had a Liver transplant Nov 09. Had 10 cancers. They thought there were three with one big one but it turned out to be a cluster. Lucky me. I went on Nexavar the end of Dec. Half dosage. Just in case the Doc told me. My worst side effect is sore feet. I had all my six month tests and scans and bio and no sign of cancer anywhere except my AFP is 74. It was 216 about three months ago. They’re not sure what’s going on with that. The Hemo doc said he might take me off of it in a couple of months. I know there’re not many of us doing this so I thought I would touch base with you. Stay positive. Hope Springs Eternal. Texas T

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