Stage IV with unresectable liver mets

LiverMetsBGone
LiverMetsBGone Member Posts: 4
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Hi all...I'm new to the network and have been reading all the posts to uncover additional info. to possibly help my mom. She was diagnosed Stage IV in June 2005 with mets to the liver. She has gone through chemo since early July which has been very effective on the colon (almost no sign anymore), however the liver is our main concern now. After the end of her cycle in February she had scans done and the oncologist indicated it looked like surgery was the next step. After seeing multiple specialists, surgery is not an option nor RFA. The lesions on her liver are "marbelized" so they say... swirled throughout so each procedure would be too risky. It is believed that most of the lesions in the liver are now dead tissue or calcified, however it needs to be removed. Does anyone have any similar experiences with this or ideas on where to turn next? You are all so inspirational and bring so much hope! I appreciate anything you have to offer. Much thanks!

Comments

  • oneagleswings
    oneagleswings Member Posts: 425 Member
    #2
    Hello and sorry I can't provide any help with marbelized mets- did they find that out thru CT scan or Pet scan..my husband has inoperable liver mets and he is trying to keep stable with chemo
    Bev
  • LiverMetsBGone
    LiverMetsBGone Member Posts: 4
    #3
    oneagleswings said:

    Hello and sorry I can't provide any help with marbelized mets- did they find that out thru CT scan or Pet scan..my husband has inoperable liver mets and he is trying to keep stable with chemo
    Bev

    Hi Bev,

    The original scan was a CT scan and the oncologist thought from those results that surgery was an option. Once she met with a surgeon, he required a PET scan to be performed which solidified his decision not to go ahead with surgery because the lesions were throughout the liver and not on one lobe. I'm just curious, will the continued chemo continue to shrink the lesions? Have they indicated anything like this with your husband?
  • jerseysue
    jerseysue Member Posts: 624 Member
    #4
    I wish I could help but I don't have any information on mets to the liver.
  • uni522
    uni522 Member Posts: 46
    #5
    LiverMetsBGone said:

    Hi Bev,

    The original scan was a CT scan and the oncologist thought from those results that surgery was an option. Once she met with a surgeon, he required a PET scan to be performed which solidified his decision not to go ahead with surgery because the lesions were throughout the liver and not on one lobe. I'm just curious, will the continued chemo continue to shrink the lesions? Have they indicated anything like this with your husband?

    My husband has unresectable liver met as well. It is too large, too close to veins, on top,... all the things it "can't" be to be operable. He has had 3 chemoembolizations. This has "killed" the center of the liver met, but can still not be removed. I do not know if this helps you at all. I have not heard of marbelization.

    I have, however, asked some of the same questions of my onc that you asked. Chemo is supposed to continue to shrink mets. However, in my husband's case, the original tumor was 17cm, now down to 16 8 months later. "Is that good?", I ask onc. He says every case is different. In my mind, I think, "THAT'S not an answer." Well....

    After many months of reading posts and webpages and google-ing and ask-ing Jeeves, I have found that to be the God's honest truth!! There is no answer... only God knows where this road will take you.
    I have days I am OBSESSED with cancer. Reading every book, every website... only to find you just have to be thankful for each day you get with your loved ones. Even their "bad" days.
    I hope I have helped you feel "normal" in some small way. Please, keep coming back and posting any questions. These people have been my lifeline through this journey. They have so much love and knowledge that I am in constant awe and thanks.
    God bless you and your family. You will be in my prayers!
    ~Brittany

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