inoperable (?) liver mass

strato
strato Member Posts: 10
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
My husband had Stage 3 rectal cancer and now a PET scan has revealed a 4 cm tumor in his liver. THe tumor is appears to be "encasing and compressing both the middle and left hepatic veins right at their takeoff from the IVC." THe first surgeon he consulted with said that because of where the tumor is in the liver, surgery would be too dangerous.
Has anyone else had this particular situation? The onco says that if it's not removed surgically you can never get rid of it.
Any info anyone has regarding this would be greatly appreciated,we feel like we're at the end of the road....

Comments

  • Ray002
    Ray002 Member Posts: 39
    #2
    Hi
    My brother had the same....your husband may have Avastin chemo or folfox ...and the liver tumor may decreases.
    One man I know was told his liver tumor was not resectable.He went to New York to the Slein Kettering(spelling?)and had the surgery...
    He is alive that was 20 yrs ago.
    my brother was not that lucky he could not have surgery....
    I wish your husband and you the best!
    (my english is bad I am french)
  • fez1
    fez1 Member Posts: 47
    #3
    My husband had a 5 cm inoperable metastatic liver tumor seen on CT scan last august. We looked into RFA, SirSpheres but settled on stereotactic radiosurgery. It was very successful! He has been NED since then. Ask about this as well as cyberknife, gamma knife etc. Don't give up. Search for options. Some oncologists have the give up attitude when inoperable mets occur. It worked out for us and it will for you also. You can call or e-mail me off list if you wish to discuss anything further.

    Carol
  • Monicaemilia
    Monicaemilia Member Posts: 455 Member
    #4
    I was dx'd in Nov 05 and I had a tumour very close to the main vein. I was told that with chemo, the hope was to shrink the tumour enough to enable them to do surgery. To make a long story short, I finally had the surgery (you can read my web page for the full story). I know that there is a procedure where they can chemoembolize the vein, but I am not sure whether it would be applicable for your husband. I would suggest getting a couple of different opinions. Has your husband been on any chemo? Monica
  • strato
    strato Member Posts: 10
    #5
    Questions about chemo after liver resection
    My husband is about to have surgery to remove a tumor from his liver. The tumor is a metastasis of the rectal cancer he was diagnosed with 2 years ago.
    First we were told his tumor was inoperable. However now we found 2 surgeons willing to do the surgery, one at Sloan Kettering and one at the Lahey Clinic.
    The surgeon at Sloan Kettering wants my husband to take part in a clinical trial being conducted at Sloan Kettering in which he is to have 6 months of chemo after the surgery administered by way of an arterial hepatic pump that would be inserted into the liver during the surgery.
    The doctor at Lahey Clinic doesn't believe in the pump and says my husband should be on 6 months of chemo after the surgery consisting of 5 FU, irinotecan and avastin.
    Has anyone had experience with the pump? And has anyone had chemo with 5 FU, irinotecan and avastin?
    Any information would be greatly appreciated, we need to make a decision quickly.
    Thanks so much.
  • feliciann
    feliciann Member Posts: 2
    #6
    http://www.y90support.org/
    check out this site
    I had the procedure done last week now only time will tell
    Felicia

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