Second opinion surgery options now

Banana23
Banana23 Member Posts: 11
edited September 2020 in Colorectal Cancer #1

I just went for a second opinion at the Cleveland Clinic. I am stage 4 colon cancer with approx 15 mets to the liver. UofMI treatment plan for me was essentially palliative chemo for life. No surgery on primary colon tumor or liver. I have completed 10 rounds of Folfox w/ Avastin. i was on a 5 month chemo break after the 9th treatment. I thought I was having some constipation when I went in the restart after the chemo break on 9/3/2020. I went ahead with my treatment and went home. Things took a turn that evening and I went to the ER concerned the colon tumor may be causing a blockage. unfortunately that is exactly what happened and I ended up in emergency surgery for a colectomy and now have an ileostomy. I am thankful I got there before my Bowel perforated apparently it was pretty close. Needless to say I started to Question my current oncologists treatment plan. So after speaking to my primary care doctor she suggested Cleveland clinic. I met with the oncologist on Wednesday and she was very optimistic that they would be able to remove most of The liver Mets with surgery and possibly ablate some if couldn't remove.they also have a transplant option that inmay be a candidate since I only have liver Mets.  UofM was adamant that resection of my liver was not an option at all. I just don't know what to think. Has anyone else had such a difference in opinion when seeking a second opinion? I wish I would have done this sooner. Just looking for anyone who may have a similar diagnosis and has had success with the liver surgery. Also thoughts on the transplant option. 

Comments

  • abita
    abita Member Posts: 1,152 Member
    edited September 2020 #2
    I think placement of the

    I think placement of the liver mets is important. I had 3 HUGE ones, but since they were all together in my left lobe, a very skilled surgeon removed my left lobe. It also matters how close they are to certain parts. 

  • abita
    abita Member Posts: 1,152 Member
    edited September 2020 #3
    If you had 15 liver mets and

    If you had 15 liver mets and a primary tumor in the colon, why were you on a 5 month chemo break?

  • Banana23
    Banana23 Member Posts: 11
    #4
    abita said:

    If you had 15 liver mets and

    If you had 15 liver mets and a primary tumor in the colon, why were you on a 5 month chemo break?

    It was 8 weeks and the tumors

    It was 8 weeks and the tumors were still shrinking at the 8 week scan so they kept me off another 8 weeks at that scan they were starting to grow again. Then they waited another 3 weeks to start up again. Apparently that was too long to wait and my colon tumor caused a blockage. I trusted my oncologist and I guess I shouldn't have. 

  • Banana23
    Banana23 Member Posts: 11
    #5
    abita said:

    I think placement of the

    I think placement of the liver mets is important. I had 3 HUGE ones, but since they were all together in my left lobe, a very skilled surgeon removed my left lobe. It also matters how close they are to certain parts. 

    I have 2 large ones, one in

    I have 2 large ones, one in each lobe and several small ones. I also have had some of the CT scans come back that some are cysts not tumors. I have never had a PET scan. I am cautiously optimistic about my second opinion. How long have your chemo breaks been? 

  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #6
    Opinion

    I'm so glad you got a second opinion.  Hoping that you get some great results from the new doctor if you proceed to go with Cleveland Clinic.

    Kim

  • Banana23
    Banana23 Member Posts: 11
    edited September 2020 #7
    Annabelle41415 said:

    Opinion

    I'm so glad you got a second opinion.  Hoping that you get some great results from the new doctor if you proceed to go with Cleveland Clinic.

    Kim

    Thank you Kim! I am

    Thank you Kim! I am definitely going to comtinue to look for options. So happy i went for a second opinion. 

  • Tom M.
    Tom M. Member Posts: 223 Member
    #8
    Good luck

    I wish you the best of luck. I too am seeking other help. I will be traveling to Penn State Cancer Instatute to have a different surgeon have a look at me. Iam set up for a chest ct, liver MRI, blood work and doctors visit all in one day. My ablation last month did not remove everything. The head infusion nurse told me that she thought I was making a good decision. I want to make sure that Iam doing everything I can in this battle. The 3 liver surgeons at PS seem to be very good at their craft. Iam looking foward to puttint this behind me. I hope you have great resuts Banana 23.

  • Banana23
    Banana23 Member Posts: 11
    edited September 2020 #9
    Tom M. said:

    Good luck

    I wish you the best of luck. I too am seeking other help. I will be traveling to Penn State Cancer Instatute to have a different surgeon have a look at me. Iam set up for a chest ct, liver MRI, blood work and doctors visit all in one day. My ablation last month did not remove everything. The head infusion nurse told me that she thought I was making a good decision. I want to make sure that Iam doing everything I can in this battle. The 3 liver surgeons at PS seem to be very good at their craft. Iam looking foward to puttint this behind me. I hope you have great resuts Banana 23.

    Thank you, Tom! I wish You

    Thank you, Tom! I wish You the best on your appt With Penn State. All we can do is try to find the right care teams to get us NED. 

  • Monicasue
    Monicasue Member Posts: 2 Member
    edited September 2020 #10
    A similar dilemma

    I am new to this forum. Currently, we are in need of a second opinion. My husband was diagnosed 2016 with stage IV -mets to liver and eventually after chemo was eligible for resection. Surgery was successful and he has been in remission until this March 2020  (liver mets on CT). Chemo is to begin soon but I have concerns with this being the only plan of action. We are also seeking to get a second opinion through Cleveland Clinic.  

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,804 Member
    edited September 2020 #11
    Monicasue said:

    A similar dilemma

    I am new to this forum. Currently, we are in need of a second opinion. My husband was diagnosed 2016 with stage IV -mets to liver and eventually after chemo was eligible for resection. Surgery was successful and he has been in remission until this March 2020  (liver mets on CT). Chemo is to begin soon but I have concerns with this being the only plan of action. We are also seeking to get a second opinion through Cleveland Clinic.  

    Welcome to the forum

    I am sorry to hear of your husband's recurrance. It is all a neverending worry for those who have reached the NED, and I think as the years pass, when the shoe drops, it drops hard. It is so dishearteneing. 

    Good luck with the second opinion. I hope they have other things to offer.  If the mets are smaller, maybe Ablation, which is still fairly new in the game, but it worked well for me, and I am now six years NED.  

    It would be great if you posted an introduction on the forum home page, here  https://csn.cancer.org/forum/128    . 

    Look forward to getting to know you, and hearing good news from your Cleveland visit. 

    Tru

  • Banana23
    Banana23 Member Posts: 11
    edited October 2020 #12
    Monicasue said:

    A similar dilemma

    I am new to this forum. Currently, we are in need of a second opinion. My husband was diagnosed 2016 with stage IV -mets to liver and eventually after chemo was eligible for resection. Surgery was successful and he has been in remission until this March 2020  (liver mets on CT). Chemo is to begin soon but I have concerns with this being the only plan of action. We are also seeking to get a second opinion through Cleveland Clinic.  

    I was very impressed with the

    I was very impressed with the oncologist I met with at Cleveland. Dr. Krishnamurthi. I speak to the surgeon tomorrow and hope he agrees with her that surgery is an option. They are very well versed with the liver and seem much more confident than my current onc. Good luck to your husband and I hope your visit was as positive as mine was. I'm Sorry to hear he is having a reoccurrance. 

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