Primary Liver Cancer

Hi,

I wanted to send out a message to anyone who can give me some advice.

My father was diagnosed with liver cancer about two months ago. He had a huge tumor in his liver (about 11 cm) He went through one round of chemoemobilization. He was doing find until about a month ago. His liver function is now not very good, whereas it was excellent before the treatment. The doctor says that they may not be able to do anything else for him and he is not doing very much to help. (He has some cirrhosis due to the Hepatitis B that he was born with) He just said to come back in a month.

We are very frustrated by his attitude. It seems that he has already given up on my dad. We wanted to help my father try to improve his liver function with nutrition, but the doctor is giving us no guidance.

What is everybody doing? I'm looking into Noni Juice and Milk Thistle and possibly Essiac Tea. We would like to use complementary therapies in addition to the traditional methods. Has anyone else used this? We are willing to try anything since giving up is not an option for us.

Also, has anyone heard of the Cancer Treatment Centers of America or the Issels Center?

Thanks!

Hello Eva T.

I dont think that I can help you with the traditional methods you are discussing but I find it very hard to accept that the doctor has given up on your father...
Is asking for a second opinion an option for you? And which country are you writing from?
Im in the UK and my father is in Australia, currently having treatment for Primary Liver Cancer which he was diagnosed with in March of this year.
Although my fathers tumour is only a stage 1 (3cm), it is inoperable due to being located/connected to the major blood vessel. Im sure you are aware of the poor statistic related to this awful disease...so I wasnt very optimistic to begin.
To begin, my father had to regain his strength as he had lost so much weight etc, he gained a bit of weight and started with weekly chemo treatment which went for 2 months. Then he had intensive radiation and chemo...I am hopeless with the exact terms of these procedures but I do know that it is the more advanced radiotherapy where they pin point the tumour and is 40x more powerful then previous treatment. He also had the 24/7 chemo fed through his sholder. He had a some bad times through this (which went for approx 9 weeks)but he was able to cope well.
Today he has been for his update and scan results...and I am so happy to say that the treatment has been successful and there has been a "significant" reduction in the tumour size and his pancreas and liver are all but back to normal which is more than we could have hoped and asked for. He is looking and feeling so much better.
He has commenced his next lot of chemo today, 3 months of weekly sessions...which will take him into November so we'll have to see whats happening then.

All Id like you to take from this is to try to remain positive, you and your father, and perhaps look into a second opinion.
You mention treatment in America, I believe there is fantastic opportunities at a couple of centres...inc MD Anderson and the Uni of Texas. If this is a possibility of course???

I found all the statistics and documentation on liver cancer very negative and daunting, but since Ive read so many success stories of survivors given 12 months (which my father was given), 14 years ago.

I hope this, if anything, gives you hope and I am thinking of you as I totally understand your desperation and concern.

Take care and my prayers are with you (im not religious but will be going to church this weekend to give my thanks)...

PS, Ive heard coffee is very good...

Khyla

Eva,

My mother, too was diagnosed with liver cancer, in Dec 2004, and her tumor was about the same size. She is 78 years old. I don't think they know how the cancer developed as she was never a heavy drinker nor was she every diagnosed with Hep B. At first the doctor gave us a grim scenerio speaking of hospice or a nursing home, then decided to go ahead and put her on oral Xeloda and IV Gemzar. That worked wonderfully (tumor shrank) for a few months, and after she had her port cath inserted (don't know if there is a connection), it stopped working. They then started her on a research med called Perofisone, which made her extremely sick. She had already lost from 147 to 85 pds, so the vomiting only worsening her condition. I do believe that the doctors generally consider liver cancer terminal, and that maybe the dr. was just giving us a bit more time with mom, by providing the chemo that he knew would eventually stop working. She is now in the cirrhosis stage (infection, edema, bedridden, and confusion) which we are trying to control with "side effect" meds. Her HMO does not cover MD Anderson - and the dr.'s have decided to put her into hospice. I am having a terrible time dealing with this. as hospice was created for "quality of life" care until she passes; but I have not found any other solutions/cures. I don't want to give you false hope, but I do truly believe that miracle are possible and I definetely feel you should get a second opinion as your dr. should, at the very least, show real concern for your father's welfare. If it comes to the point that his condition worsens (and I pray that it does not), I recommend that you contact hospice as they are a wonderful institution that you can call on at anytime, for medical, physcial, and emotional needs. I did do some reading about homeopathic remedies and tried them for a short time b4 my moms chemo. I've read that Aloe, MSM and shark cartilidge (natural atk inhibitor) are good cancer fighters, you may want to look into those. I called Cancer Centers of America in Oklahoma and with my mothers age and liver cancer they basically told me (even before chemo started) that there was not much hope. My mother now, seems to have given up hope and has little to no interest in anything except sleeping and pain control. I do wish you the best and please let me know if you find a herbal med that helps or (in my desperate prayers) will cure this awful disease.
God Bless,
Michelle

How about your mother now?

Cancer is such a terrible and debilatating disease and it brings me such pain to say that liver cancer took my mother's life on September 23, 2005. I attempted to put her back on the herbal meds, but she just did not want to take them - I believe, she had already given up hope. It didn't make it any easier to know that her passing was imminent. All I can do is remind myself that she is in a better place and that her pain and suffering is no longer. In the meantime, I would not want anyone diagnosed with liver cancer to give up hope,as each individuals diagnosis, treatment, and outcome is different. In addition, my mother was 78 years old and did not discover her condition until a late stage. It is also my sincere wish that new innovations are discovered in cancer research and cures (especially for the most deadly cancers) in the hope that those that are presently suffering may have a chance of survival that includes a wonderful quality of life. God Bless You All