Why can't they do liver and lung transplants for colon cancer mets to get it out?

polarprincess
polarprincess Member Posts: 202 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
I have wondered this forever, and i realize that the answer is probably because if the cancer got to the liver and lungs in the first place, it means it is in the bloodstream/lymph system, but why can't they for instance remove the liver in someone with multiple liver nodules/tumors and replace it with say a section of a loved ones liver.... wouldn't it be like "starting over" and you could hopefully stop the new tumors from forming by chemo/avastin etc.. i know for other types of cancer they remove the liver..just wondering if anyone has ever asked this question?

Comments

  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #2
    I'm a computer geek...but maybe....
    Don't forget that when there is a transplant, anti-rejection drugs need to be taken which compromises the immune system...that is NOT a good thing in a survivor battling cancer...

    Just a thought....

    Kathi
  • snommintj
    snommintj Member Posts: 601
    #3
    KathiM said:

    I'm a computer geek...but maybe....
    Don't forget that when there is a transplant, anti-rejection drugs need to be taken which compromises the immune system...that is NOT a good thing in a survivor battling cancer...

    Just a thought....

    Kathi

    Wasted organs?
    I don't believe giving me a liver transplant would be a good idea. I'm stage 4, I've had 2 liver resections thus far. All my nodes were positive from my colectomy. I'm currently battling a tough infection from my 2nd liver resection, should it clear up, I think I'll be disease free. Here's the kicker, because of the extent of my initial disease, and all the lymph node involvement; I'm going to be on the verge of systemic failure for many years to come. Sure, it may never happen, or it might happen next month. That is the nature of this disease. I believe giving me a healthy liver when the rest of me is in such peril is unwise. Give it to someone who isn't at such high risk for failure. I couldn't handle the thought of having a recurrence with a transplanted liver.
  • ADKer
    ADKer Member Posts: 147
    #4
    snommintj said:

    Wasted organs?
    I don't believe giving me a liver transplant would be a good idea. I'm stage 4, I've had 2 liver resections thus far. All my nodes were positive from my colectomy. I'm currently battling a tough infection from my 2nd liver resection, should it clear up, I think I'll be disease free. Here's the kicker, because of the extent of my initial disease, and all the lymph node involvement; I'm going to be on the verge of systemic failure for many years to come. Sure, it may never happen, or it might happen next month. That is the nature of this disease. I believe giving me a healthy liver when the rest of me is in such peril is unwise. Give it to someone who isn't at such high risk for failure. I couldn't handle the thought of having a recurrence with a transplanted liver.

    Organ transplants
    Although I did not save the cite, I looked into this because a couple of my relatives were insistent that I pursue this option. I believe that the reseach indicates that the drugs that are necessary to suppress the immune system to prevent rejection of the transplanted organ will also allow proliferation of any random cancer cells that may be somewhere in your system.

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