New here and questions of course

lovelife · New User Joined: 12 Sep 2007 Posts: 4

Hi All,

I just learned from my mother that she has been diagnosed as liver cancer. She is 68 yrs old. The diagnostic says there is a tumor about 3.5*3.3*2 cm near S4 area close to gallbladder, and strong echo from the tumor, CDFI artery blood normal.

Since these diagnostics was translated from Chinese, I don't understand fully about it. It is unclear to me how she got it without detecting since she has been close monitored every half year because her breast cancer surgery 3 years ago. Not sure it is metastatic. She also has diabetic and high cholesterol so she took a lot of medication.

God is so unfair to her considering she is one of nicest person and a doctor herself. She always cares other people.

Can you tell me what is these S4 and CDFI means? Or do you know any good doctor that I can consult with? I am so shocked. Can liver transplant help her? I'm wondering if I need to take time off from my work flight back to China and stay with her if we can not spend too much time any longer. I will do what ever I can to keep her with me.

Thanks.

brainman

Hi lovelife, I am very sorry about your mother's struggles with cancer. It sounds very likely that this is a metastatic growth from her breast cancer although only a biopsy will say for sure.

I have no idea was S4 means. However, in the context in which that term is used, I would guess that is a specific location on the liver. I do know what CDFI means: color Doppler flow imaging. What the report is saying is that this growth is not causing a decrease in arterial blood flow.

I will be thinking about and praying for you and your mother.
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Site Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
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lovelife · New User Joined: 12 Sep 2007 Posts: 4

Yes, I think it is the area too. But I don't understand how important this location is related to the treatment option.

When you said growth is not causing decrease in the blood flow, sounds like a good thing?

If it is metastatic, does it mean the treatment will be very different/ and cure will be very difficult? Can it be contained at all (realistic speaking)?

What are the statistics of the survival length/rate? I need to know the worst case scenario so that I can take action now (such as leave absence of my job if necessary).

Thanks.

brainman

Yes, it is a good thing that the blood is still able to flow through her liver. Not only does that keep her liver alive, but it also means that her liver is able to filter out the toxins from her blood (normal liver function) Very Happy

.

If it is a metastatic growth, yes, most likely the treatment will be different and her prognosis will be different as well. If it is a primary liver cancer, the option for surgery or even liver transplantation are still available. If it is a metastatic growth from somewhere else, then the primary treatment will most likely be chemotherapy of some kind.

All of your questions are excellent questions to ask your mother's medical team about Wink

_________________
Jim
Site Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendoglioma grade 3, same location.
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Blog http://jimhawkinsport.blogspot.com/

In

Hi LoveLife.

I'm sorry I'm no help in this area- But just wanted you to know- Iam thinking of you and your Family.

Take Care Inica
_________________
Thinking of you Inica

*Administrator*

~Nose Cancer~
~Car Accident- Broken Back, Ribs, Spleen
Sternum~
~Continous Cervical Cancer~

My Story-
http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=6731

Smile

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kmac20 · Guest

sorry to hear what youre going through, i'll try to give what advice i can.

firstly, was it caused by cirrhosis of the liver? this and if its metastatic affect treatment options extremely. if she has cirrhosis, there is virtually no chance of any surgery to remove any of the tumor, either regular surgery or cryosurgery. if it is metastatic there is i'm sorry to say virtually no chance of getting a new liver, at least here in the US, i'm not sure what it is like in China. this is because the reoccurrence rate would be too high to justify a new liver being give, so its almost better if they believe it to be non metastatic, regardless of what it turns out to be later.

it would also be good to find out, is this a primary cancer or a result of the breast cancer you said she fought off years ago. it is possible the two are related, and it would be good to find out as much info about all of this as you can.

theres always TACE (Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization), which is a chemo that is like a small surgery every time, they cut open a part of you on your thigh i believe or near your groin and insert chemo more directly into the liver area through a catheter. this is usually done in addition to anything else, to help prevent the cancer from spreading or to keep it from getting larger prior to a transplant or surgery. it is also the course taken when none of the other options are available.

my best to your mom and your whole family. i hope things work out well for you.

lovelife · New User Joined: 12 Sep 2007 Posts: 4

Thanks for the help.

She is metastatic for sure. The tumor grew from 2 to 4cm in 3 weeks. The place the tumor grows cause it impossible to do conduct any surgical way to removing/shrinking the tumor. The tumor is on the surface near the artery.

We don't know what to do other than praying. I heard something called Limu juice might help the chemo. Anybody has experience with it ?

kmac20 · Guest

[quote="lovelife"]Thanks for the help.

She is metastatic for sure. The tumor grew from 2 to 4cm in 3 weeks. The place the tumor grows cause it impossible to do conduct any surgical way to removing/shrinking the tumor. The tumor is on the surface near the artery.

We don't know what to do other than praying. I heard something called Limu juice might help the chemo. Anybody has experience with it ?[/quote]

i'm sorry i've never heard anything about limu juice. look into it though.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liver_cancer#Treatment

there is a list of treatments for liver cancer that generally has a good chunk of them and newer clinical ones. ask about cryosurgery, and i just read there is a treatment that is similar to TACE, called Sealed source radiotherapy. from what i'm reading at this very moment it seems similar to TACE in that it is done via a catheter, but instead of delivering chemo it delivers tiny microscopic glass balls that release radiation once near the tumors, and only near the tumor. this is possible because the glass beads are put in the right area, and while big enough to start going through the main artery, they are too big for the smaller capillaries and as a result get stuck near the tumor, with much less damage done to nearby healthy tissue.

look into every option you can. in reality surgery shouldn't be your first option, as it is only possible in 10-15% of patients. but ask about cryosurgery, the Sealed source radiotherapy, radiation, anything you can. and also get a second opinion. maybe there is a doctor who believes that your mom's tumor would be operable or at least part of it.

again, my best to your family.

littlemouse · New User Joined: 28 Oct 2007 Posts: 1

My husband has been diagnosed with liver cancer. He has no symptom, but his tumor is almost 8 cm. We are trying all kinds of things, besides the treatment handled by doctors. He got his first TACE last Tuesday.

Anyway, we put our hope on the so-called "Miracle Soup".

We are crossing our fingers to see the result in 3 weeks. And we will also pray from your mom.

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