HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Liver cancer and chemotherapy

Support Forums
>
Hepatitis
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 2/21/2007 1:57 AM (GMT 0)
Hello all, hope everyone is okay this evening. I just have a couple of questions that maybe someone can answer. Has anyone or anyone know of anyone who has went through chemotherapy for liver cancer? Does anyone know of a good website for chemotherapy? I want to do my homework before I take my husband back to his cancer doctor. I want to be educated enough to ask the right questions. Thanks for any help or suggestions with this. :-) Pink Grandma
Posted 2/21/2007 6:24 AM (GMT 0)
Hi, PinkGrandma!  It's always a good idea to be armed with information prior to a doctor visit.  My Mayo oncologist told me that regular chemo does not work for liver cancer.  Chemoembolization, as you know, is a targeted chemo to the liver combined with cut-off of arteries supplying the liver tumor(s.)  This worked very well for me, with one very large tumor.  I also had a form of radiation called TheraSphere, wherein microscopic beads filled with radioactive material were injected into the tumor through the hepatic artery.  It takes 3 months to show the full results of this.  I believe that the chemoembolization was the method that killed most of my tumor.  I know what your husband is faced with, but unless there is something new in the past year, regular chemo would just make him sick, cause hair loss, etc., with the likelihood of it doing any good almost nil.  I suggest you do a Google search for liver cancer chemo to see if there has been any new treatment developed, and what is said in general.  Go to reputable sites like the American Liver Foundation.

Hugs and prayers,

Connie

Posted 2/22/2007 2:51 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you so much Connie,
I did alot of googling last night but I didn't find the American Liver Foundation. I will try that one tonight. When my husband's oncologist said that the only thing left was chemotherapy and he said that the doctors here in my city probably would not do it as they didn't see it as a viable option. But because they in the San Francisco hospital are on the cutting edge and they have trials for different diseases they they would do it. But I don't want my husband to go though it if it means that the quality of the life that he has left goes down and it does give him any longer time on this earth. Just since the doctor has told him he seems like he is already going down hill a little. I want to be able to take him to Vegas one last time while he can still get some enjoyment out of it. He loves it there. None of the sites that I visited last night had much good to say about chemotherapy for liver cancer. I just confirmed what I thought. He did have a chemoebulazation last May and it did stop the growth for a while. But because they didn't do another one last November or December when they really should have it took off again. His doctor said he couldn't have another one as his billiruben is too high and he is too jaundiced. That he could go into liver failure and die. So that's when he suggested chemotherapy. My husband said that he would rather die trying the chemoembulazation again, then stick around and suffer more. And frankly I agree with him on that.

Thanks so much again Connie, Hope your feeling good today. My prayers will be with you. :-) Pink Grandma
Posted 2/22/2007 4:12 AM (GMT 0)
Connie, guess what.
I went on the American Liver Foundation's web site and I found the clinical trials that are going on across the nation for chemotherapy for liver cancer. And the transplant hospital that my husband is going to is one of them. So that's why the doctor was suggesting it. I just told my husband about it. He has a hard choice to make. I printed it up and will have alot of tough questions for the doctor. Like why he just didn't tell us it was the clinical trial. I know that they are important and that's how they find better treatments but I want to be told up front ( we are not saying that this is a cure.... we are trying to find a cure.) My husband got the wrong impression from the doctor. Thanks again for the tip.......it was a biggg help. Pink Grandma
Posted 2/22/2007 9:47 AM (GMT 0)
Just letting you know Pink Grandma that I am thinking of you and your husband as you make these tough decisions. your research has put you in good stead for the up coming doctor's visit. I hope he has all the answers for you.
Take care.
Marg
Posted 2/23/2007 1:44 AM (GMT 0)

Hi Pinkgrandma, Sorry to hear about the cancer and listing status at this time. I have been keeping up with the reading. We are also going through some very hard times. I was on another message board and this info came up which might be able to help the info site is http://www.onyx-pharm.com/wt/page/pr_1171263964 it is something you could definitly ask the doctor about. I have also been told the drug company could possibly help out with cost.

Teresa

Posted 2/23/2007 4:27 AM (GMT 0)
Hello Teresa and Marg, Thanks for the prayers. We can use all we can get. Teresa I printed up that article and yes I am going to take it to his doctor or better yet I am going to email it to him, since we will not be seeing him to the end of next month. I really appreciate the support that I receive here at HealingWell. Everyone here is the tops.

Not to change the subject but what's up with the Missing Key Value that's on alot of the sites? Is there some kind of glitch?

My thoughts and prayers are with everyone.......... :-) Pink Grandma
Posted 2/24/2007 4:36 AM (GMT 0)
Teresa, thank you for that information. I expect to be speaking to my oncologist on Monday, and/or the radiologist who previously treated me. I will be sure to ask about Nexavar. I'm not sure how available it would be for treatment of liver cancer at this point.

PinkGrandma, bear in mind that with a clinical trial, one group is given the "real" drug and another group is given a placebo--and patients do not know which group they are in until the trial is over. This means that there is the possibility of your husband being in the placebo group and receiving no real benefit from what he is given. I would definitely let your husband's doctor know about Nexavar (he is probably already aware of it) and find out if your husband could possibly receive it, now that it's no longer in a trial.

Hugs and prayers,
Connie
Posted 2/24/2007 6:58 PM (GMT 0)

Connie this drug is no longer in trial, they stopped the trial and gave the real McCoy to all the participants, because the results were positive. They are now looking for the FDA's approval, which would mean the insurance co. would pay for it. Which shouldn't be hard since it has been approved for Renal cancer. I think this drug will give many hope and a chance.

Teresa

Posted 2/25/2007 6:09 AM (GMT 0)
Teresa, yes, I realize that that the trial of Nexavar has stopped because of the positive results. That's why I said I would mention it to my oncologist as a possible option for me. I was referring to PinkGrandma's posts of the 21st in which she said her doctor had said there were trials going on at the hospital he is affilliated with, and wanted her hubby to enter one of those trials. She was expressing concern about her husband going through that, and so was I. However, with her finding of Nexavar being available, that would be a great option.

Connie
Posted 2/26/2007 11:49 AM (GMT 0)
Pink Grandma

Just wanted to let you know that my thoughts and prayers and with you and your husband at this time. I will keep positive thoughts that the oncologist will have encouraging news for you both.

Lucy
Posted 2/26/2007 5:58 PM (GMT 0)

Sorry Connie, my head is so fuzzy lately, I don't know if we are coming or going! I will tell you about it soon. I would also be very careful of going into a clinical trial also, for the reasons Connie stated. My prayers to all!

Teresa

Edited to correct spelling


✚ New Topic ✚ Reply