RFA or SURGERY.

pepebcn
pepebcn Member Posts: 6,331 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Today had an informal meeting with my docs - surgeon , onc, radio oncologist- . Different theories for my small liver met, some of them suggest surgery ,surgeon and radio oncologist, and the oncologist says RFA would be more appropriate as is less aggressive and as I got affected some distant lymph nodes he can't guarantee a non early reoccurrence,so he considers too aggressive surgery with many possibilities of early reoccurrence so to me his opinion is : stay as much you can healthy an NED before the reoccurrence !.Surgeon says less possibilities of reoccurrence if He removes both lymph nodes and liver met.Radio onc agrees with Surgeon. Oncologist says it's a hard surgery and as the nodes have been affected more possibilities of recurrence so, to much suffer with not too much guarantee of success ! Both theories are quite sensible to me what would be your choice folks ? I know at the end they will let it in my hands.

Comments

  • pepebcn
    pepebcn Member Posts: 6,331 Member
    #2
    l will appreciate your wise coments about.
    Thank you.
  • Sundanceh
    Sundanceh Member Posts: 4,392 Member
    #3
    Good Options
    You won't go wrong either way. I've only had RFA done to the liver, but I know Phil has had them to his lung and done well.

    I've only had the DaVinci robot surgery and an open throacotomy on my lungs.

    You'll have to weigh this one out and see what seems the best decision for you.

    -Craig
  • PhillieG
    PhillieG Member Posts: 4,866 Member
    #4
    RFA
    I've had RFA done on my lung(s) 3 times over the past 3 years. It was very easy on the body. The first time I stayed over 1 night, the next 2 times I went home the same day. I have not had any done to my liver but knowing what I do know from my experience with the lung RFA's, I'd go with that.
    Best of luck to you
    -p
  • bruins1971
    bruins1971 Member Posts: 227
    #5
    Surgery
    I have no clue about the RFA and any of the effects for I went the surgery route to remove my two tumors. I had one tumor one either lobe of the liver and to be honest the surgery was not that bad. Well if you take out the fact that I got a blood clot and they caused my lung to collapse. But the recovery was quick and I'd do it again if I needed to.
  • pepebcn
    pepebcn Member Posts: 6,331 Member
    #6
    PhillieG said:

    RFA
    I've had RFA done on my lung(s) 3 times over the past 3 years. It was very easy on the body. The first time I stayed over 1 night, the next 2 times I went home the same day. I have not had any done to my liver but knowing what I do know from my experience with the lung RFA's, I'd go with that.
    Best of luck to you
    -p

    Thank you Phil !
    no further side effects ?
    Hugs.
  • pepebcn
    pepebcn Member Posts: 6,331 Member
    #7
    bruins1971 said:

    Surgery
    I have no clue about the RFA and any of the effects for I went the surgery route to remove my two tumors. I had one tumor one either lobe of the liver and to be honest the surgery was not that bad. Well if you take out the fact that I got a blood clot and they caused my lung to collapse. But the recovery was quick and I'd do it again if I needed to.

    Bobby thank you !.
    I already had a liver resection last year , in my case very tough as it was an 80% of the liver , I went in to liver failure ,15 days of intensive care!.
    Not a nice experience 6months to feel reasonable well! , is not the case this time ,1.5 cm tumor on the top of liver, well located, just a wedge resection but despite this I have too bad memories about those days! so still doubting!
    Hugs.
  • tina dasilva
    tina dasilva Member Posts: 641
    #8
    size
    How big is the size of your tumor in your liver if I may ask . I would like to also say yay about all your hard work .hugs Tina
  • pepebcn
    pepebcn Member Posts: 6,331 Member
    #9
    tina dasilva said:

    size
    How big is the size of your tumor in your liver if I may ask . I would like to also say yay about all your hard work .hugs Tina

    1.5 cm. Tina.
    The one 2 years ago who was resected was 10 cm. that was the reason for such big troubles.
  • PhillieG
    PhillieG Member Posts: 4,866 Member
    #10
    pepebcn said:

    Thank you Phil !
    no further side effects ?
    Hugs.

    Side Effects
    Not really Pepe. I was a little sore but not that much at all. Basically I only had was a needle stuck in me, I woke up and had a band-aide over the hole. It really left nothing as far as marks go and the pain inside me was minimal. It's nothing at all like surgery where one can feel like they were beaten up or hit by a truck (or both!) I was a little sore for a day or two at most. I re-started chemo maybe 2 weeks later. I have a spot or so in my left lung, they could not work on both lungs the same day just in case there was a problem. So I likely will go for another one next year. There is also a chance that the chemo (Erbitux) will get rid of it too. I could go on and do these forever if need be, it was a cakewalk as they say.
  • CherylHutch
    CherylHutch Member Posts: 1,375 Member
    #11
    pepebcn said:

    1.5 cm. Tina.
    The one 2 years ago who was resected was 10 cm. that was the reason for such big troubles.

    RFA
    Hey Pepe... I haven't had any experience with liver mets, but I did have the RFA done to a lung met. I'm with Phil on this one... piece of cake and I'd do it over and over again if need be. I went in in the morning and I was home by 4pm. I could have gone shopping or anything else, I felt just fine... but of course they say because of the General Anesthesia (I was under general anesthesia for mine), they don't want me driving and not to do anything tiring for a day or two. Ha! Seriously, I was right back to my normal routine... so to me, it's a wonder procedure.

    I now have a tumour in my kidney. We don't know if it is a colon met or if, lucky me, I have a new primary kidney cancer. Either way, the tumour has got to go. We don't need no extra steenkin' tumours in our other organs :D So guess what we are going to do? Yep... zap the kidney tumour with an RFA procedure. We will never know if the tumour is a colon met or a new primary cancer because the RFA will zap the whole tumour and there will be nothing left to biopsy. That doesn't bother me... I don't care what kind of tumour it is, I like to know whatever it is, it will now be gone.

    Soooo, your mileage may vary depending on whether someone has had surgery or RFA. If you are eligible for either, my recommendation is to go with the RFA that is much less invasive on the body. And since you mentioned having had such a tough time with the surgery last time, I think you will be amazed at how easy this procedure is on you and your system.

    But it's your decision and whichever one you choose, for whichever reasons... it will be the right one :)

    Huggggs,

    Cheryl

Discussion Boards