Anyone want to share their experience with chemoembolization of the liver?

UncleBuddy
UncleBuddy Member Posts: 1,019 Member
edited August 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1

Hi guys! We went to talk to the onc today to get my brothers CT and MRI results. She said there are 2 new tiny nodules on the lungs, but she said the radiologist said she thinks they may have been there before but were too smalll to see on the last scan. The liver tumor, she explained, has kind of shriveled. She said she'd like us to talk to a liver doctor to get her opinion as to whether my brother would be a good candidate for chemo embolization. She is worried about his clotting issues because he had been hospitalized for clots to the lungs late last year. She still feels he needs another opinion to see if he could get this procedure done. Is there anyone who has had it done that would mind sharing their experience? Thanks.

According to his onc, he is stable and she is going to continue him on this low does chemo to give him quality of life. She gave him the option to take a break if he needs it, but my brother wants to keep going. I tell you, my brother is my hero! He is such a warrior! My mom would be so proud of him! I still hold hope for a miracle and keep praying for a cure.

Hugs to all of you!

Lin

Comments

  • UncleBuddy
    UncleBuddy Member Posts: 1,019 Member
    #2
    FYI

    I am looking to find out how long the procedure took, how many days you were in the hospital, how long did it take to recover and did it get rid of the cancer. My brother has health issues that are making me overly cautious about him having this procedure. He gets blood clots easily, so if he has to stop the Xarelto, I fear he can get clots and need hospitalization again. Please share your experiences with us. Thanks!

    Lin

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,804 Member
    #3
    Good luck, brother

    I am sure all will go well with the treatment. I have nothing to offer but my prayers and best wishes, but I know someone here will reply.

    Your brother is such a trooper. 

    SUE/TRU

  • serenity101
    serenity101 Member Posts: 82
    #4
    chemoembolization

    I just had this done on Friday and went home on Saturday. The procedure itself was about an hour and a half, and they use twilight sedation because they have to have you follow some breathing instructions during the procedure. They used chemo infused beads. My doctor was able to use a titanium clip kind of thing to close the incision in my femoral artery, so I only had to lay flat on my back for 2 hours. Otherwise it could have been as long as 8 hours.

    I felt fine when I went home, but developed pain and a higher than expected temperature after a couple of days at home. I had to go back to the hospital for 2 days while they checked for infections, abcesses, blot clots, and such. I didn't have any of those, the report says it was probably "post chemoembolization syndrome; with her fevers and pain likely stemming from postprocedural inflammation within the liver." They had given me a pretty aggressive treatment due to my heavy tumor load, so that my have played a role in the higher fever.

    The fever went away on its own. The pain is well contolled by the pain meds they gave me. 

    I'm not sure when I'll know how it is doing against the cancer. They are planning a second treatment in about a month.

  • UncleBuddy
    UncleBuddy Member Posts: 1,019 Member
    #5
    serenity101 said:

    chemoembolization

    I just had this done on Friday and went home on Saturday. The procedure itself was about an hour and a half, and they use twilight sedation because they have to have you follow some breathing instructions during the procedure. They used chemo infused beads. My doctor was able to use a titanium clip kind of thing to close the incision in my femoral artery, so I only had to lay flat on my back for 2 hours. Otherwise it could have been as long as 8 hours.

    I felt fine when I went home, but developed pain and a higher than expected temperature after a couple of days at home. I had to go back to the hospital for 2 days while they checked for infections, abcesses, blot clots, and such. I didn't have any of those, the report says it was probably "post chemoembolization syndrome; with her fevers and pain likely stemming from postprocedural inflammation within the liver." They had given me a pretty aggressive treatment due to my heavy tumor load, so that my have played a role in the higher fever.

    The fever went away on its own. The pain is well contolled by the pain meds they gave me. 

    I'm not sure when I'll know how it is doing against the cancer. They are planning a second treatment in about a month.

    Thanks Serenity

    My worry is clotting. My brother has had clotting issues in the past. He was hospitalized with clots in the lungs. Right now they have him on Xarelto to control the clots, but coming off the clotting medication scares me. He has been through so much already. I'd like to find out as much as I can before I drive all the way down there to meet the doctor and get his hopes up. I may ask his onc to forward his file to the liver doctor ahead of time to make sure she'll even consider his case.

    It sounds like you had a tough time. Do you have cancer anywhere else? My brother has several nodules on the lungs as well. I forget whether it's 7 or 8, but I think it may be 8. I want him to have quality of life, but I also would like him to try what he can in hopes of a possible cure. Of course this is up to my brother. He told me today his wish is to live past 55, he just turned 50 in June.

    Thanks for the info.

    Lin

    PS Good luck. I hope you become NED!

  • UncleBuddy
    UncleBuddy Member Posts: 1,019 Member
    #6
    Trubrit said:

    Good luck, brother

    I am sure all will go well with the treatment. I have nothing to offer but my prayers and best wishes, but I know someone here will reply.

    Your brother is such a trooper. 

    SUE/TRU

    Thanks Sue!

    You are always so encouraging.  I really hope the doctors can help you become NED again. Good luck.

    Lin

  • Nana b
    Nana b Member Posts: 3,030 Member
    #7
    UncleBuddy said:

    Thanks Serenity

    My worry is clotting. My brother has had clotting issues in the past. He was hospitalized with clots in the lungs. Right now they have him on Xarelto to control the clots, but coming off the clotting medication scares me. He has been through so much already. I'd like to find out as much as I can before I drive all the way down there to meet the doctor and get his hopes up. I may ask his onc to forward his file to the liver doctor ahead of time to make sure she'll even consider his case.

    It sounds like you had a tough time. Do you have cancer anywhere else? My brother has several nodules on the lungs as well. I forget whether it's 7 or 8, but I think it may be 8. I want him to have quality of life, but I also would like him to try what he can in hopes of a possible cure. Of course this is up to my brother. He told me today his wish is to live past 55, he just turned 50 in June.

    Thanks for the info.

    Lin

    PS Good luck. I hope you become NED!

    I had it done a little over a

    I had it done a little over a month ago. I was down one week, tired and sore. Second week I felt a lot better. Procedure took 2.5 hours, with an over night stay. No problems. My CEA went done 500 points in the first month. Next scan is in October. The procedure can be done multiple times. I believe lesion has to be under 5 ct 

     

    YouTube chemoemobilzation Stanford and cyberknife Stanford. Good videos. 

  • UncleBuddy
    UncleBuddy Member Posts: 1,019 Member
    #8
    Nana b said:

    I had it done a little over a

    I had it done a little over a month ago. I was down one week, tired and sore. Second week I felt a lot better. Procedure took 2.5 hours, with an over night stay. No problems. My CEA went done 500 points in the first month. Next scan is in October. The procedure can be done multiple times. I believe lesion has to be under 5 ct 

     

    YouTube chemoemobilzation Stanford and cyberknife Stanford. Good videos. 

    Thanks Nana

    My brother's tumor is 3cm. He certainly has a lot to think about. I am a little nervous about him doing this because of his clotting issues. We'll have to see what the doctor says. We'll need more answers from the doctors before he can make a decision.

    Again, thank you for your input.

    Lin

  • UncleBuddy
    UncleBuddy Member Posts: 1,019 Member
    #9
    Nana b said:

    I had it done a little over a

    I had it done a little over a month ago. I was down one week, tired and sore. Second week I felt a lot better. Procedure took 2.5 hours, with an over night stay. No problems. My CEA went done 500 points in the first month. Next scan is in October. The procedure can be done multiple times. I believe lesion has to be under 5 ct 

     

    YouTube chemoemobilzation Stanford and cyberknife Stanford. Good videos. 

    Nana

    I just checked out those videos on youtube. Wow, I didn't realize how much great information you can watch there. I will see my brother's oncologist on Thursday, so we'll have a chat then to discuss this a little more. The first thing I am going to ask her to do for us is to send his file to her so she can decided BEFORE we make the trip whether it's even a possibility to do it. 

    Anyway, thanks again.

    Take good care of yourself!

    Lin

  • Nana b
    Nana b Member Posts: 3,030 Member
    #10
    UncleBuddy said:

    Nana

    I just checked out those videos on youtube. Wow, I didn't realize how much great information you can watch there. I will see my brother's oncologist on Thursday, so we'll have a chat then to discuss this a little more. The first thing I am going to ask her to do for us is to send his file to her so she can decided BEFORE we make the trip whether it's even a possibility to do it. 

    Anyway, thanks again.

    Take good care of yourself!

    Lin

    That's great!  Yes, lots of

    That's great!  Yes, lots of information.   You should also ask if he can take milk thistle and Turmeric. With BioPerine. 

  • UncleBuddy
    UncleBuddy Member Posts: 1,019 Member
    #11
    Nana b said:

    That's great!  Yes, lots of

    That's great!  Yes, lots of information.   You should also ask if he can take milk thistle and Turmeric. With BioPerine. 

    Thanks, I will ask.

    Is that in pill form? We go to his onc tomorrow. I will see what she says.

    Lin

  • Nana b
    Nana b Member Posts: 3,030 Member
    #12
    UncleBuddy said:

    Thanks, I will ask.

    Is that in pill form? We go to his onc tomorrow. I will see what she says.

    Lin

    Yes, herb capsules you see at

    Yes, herb capsules you see at health stores or drug stores. 

  • Phil64
    Phil64 Member Posts: 838 Member
    #13
    Nana b said:

    Yes, herb capsules you see at

    Yes, herb capsules you see at health stores or drug stores. 

    Wondering what others think? 

    Wondering what others think?  I did a quick google and found the following which incorporates all three supplements you recommended... 

    • milk thistle

    • Turmeric

    • BioPerine

    http://www.onelifeusa.com/better_vitamin/liver_health_project2.html

     

     

  • Nana b
    Nana b Member Posts: 3,030 Member
    #14
    Phil64 said:

    Wondering what others think? 

    Wondering what others think?  I did a quick google and found the following which incorporates all three supplements you recommended... 

    • milk thistle

    • Turmeric

    • BioPerine

    http://www.onelifeusa.com/better_vitamin/liver_health_project2.html

     

     

    good article on turmeric with

    good article on turmeric with BioPerine 

     

    http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=78

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