Cirrhosis and chemo - need your help!

lilym
lilym Member Posts: 2
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
My father was diagnosed with colon cancer and had colon resection. I understand that chemo is the standard practice following surgery to prevent recurrance. But in my father's case, He had hepatitis B and medium level cirrhosis. Although his hepatitis B is under control and his liver is able to function normally. My mom and I are really concerned that his liver couldn't tolerate the chemo drug.
We're wondering if anyone has any knowledge or experience on whether he shoud go ahead with the chemo or not? If not, what other alternatives does he have? Also, Do you know if certain chemo drug is better than the others as far as side effect to the liver is concerned? Any suggestions would be greatly apprecatied from the bottom of our hearts.

Comments

  • nudgie
    nudgie Member Posts: 1,478 Member
    #2
    I cannot respond on the Cirrhosis or the Hepatitis B, but my recommendation would be to speak with your father's primary care physican and his Onc. doctor about the affects on the liver. Find out which chemo regime the Onc. Doc is recommending and what affects those drugs would have short term and long term. Also if he is taking medications for hepatitis B will the chemo regime affect that as well.

    When it comes to treatment, make sure you ask as many questions as possible and there are NO questions to small or stupid.

    Also, you can consider second and third opinions if not happy with the first. Cancer treatments have come along way in the past 5-10 years.

    On another note, when was your father DX and what stage of cancer? This information should have been given to him and is also located within the pathlogoy report.

    Please keep us posted
  • lilym
    lilym Member Posts: 2
    #3
    Nudgie, thank you so much for your reply.

    Actually, my father was diagnosed with colon cancer on 10/15/06 at age 73 and and had colon resection on 10/30/06. Not sure about the Stage as he had his operation in China. All we know is that there're no lymph nodes involved. But the cancer cells did penetrate the colon wall a little bit. He didn't do chemo following surgery due to his liver problem and old age. However, during the recent check up, his CEA level went up from 3.7 post operation to 10. Now his doctor is talking about Chemo again. That's why I posted on the message board to see if anyone else has similiar experience as my mother and I are really concerned that his liver can't tolerate the chemo drugs.

    Again, any help and suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!!

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