infusional chemo

Hello to all,

My father was diagnosed with primary HCC with tumors in both lobes.  He is now undergoing infusional chemo through a vein in his leg.  He will get another round in March and then they will do a scan to see if the tumors are responding.  Has anyone else had this procedure?  Is it the same as the TACE?  Would love to hear from anyone else.  Thanks.

 Mandye

I'm certainly not an expert, so please ask your doctor to be sure, but the way it has ben described to me, in TACE a substance is introduced to the tumor(s) to cut off the blood supply (this is the "embolization" part) and chemo is also sent in to treat it/them with medication.  This is done in a procedure which takes an hour or so to perform and is sort of a "double whammy" on the tumor. With infusion the tumor(s) are treated with chemo only, which is kind of "dripped" in over a more extended period of time.  Infusion is more of an "old school" approach but is still useful when embolization can't get to the entire tumor(s) for whatever reason.  Presumably infusion would also be usful when there are too many tumor sites to reasonably or effectively treat with TACE - but I'm just guessing now.  Ask your oncologist.  He/she should be able to provide an educated and correct explanation.

Yes.  TACE is a procedure in which the blood supply to the tumor is blocked (embolized) and chemotherapy is administered directly into the tumor. As a general rule, systemic chemotherapy has poor response rates in HCC.

Hello - I am sorry about your fathers liver cancer - but I am pleased that he is getting treatment. My brother was diagnosed with liver cancer in January and they have told him there is nothing they can do for him - go home - you have 8 months to live.  Could I ask where your father is being treated and how big his tumors are/were?  My brothers are 5 1/2cm and 7 1/2cm in different areas of the liver - they say they are too big to treat.  

Many thanks and good luck to you and your father - Anna 

 

Dear Anna: If your brother has only 2 tumors, then he can be treated with surgical resection. Get a second opinion from someone who specializes in liver cancer (MD Anderson in Houston, Sloan-Kettering in NY, University Hospital in PIttsburg, Mayo Clinic in Minnesota are a few who have liver cancer specialists). Good luck to your brother!

If you go to the MD Anderson website, they have a section on treatment of liver tumors. There is an excellent description of the difference between TACE (transarterial chemoembolization) and HAI (hepatic artery infusion). From what I understand, the problem with TACE is that after the artery is embolized (blocked) you no longer have arterial access to the tumor if you need to treat it a second time. Hepatic artery infusion can be done multiple times if needed.

 Good luck to you!

Anna,

     I am so sorry about your brother's liver cancer.  I know it is a scary road.  My father also has two tumors, in each lobe, one 10cm and I am not sure about the other.  He was not a candidate for surgery either.  The hepatic aterial infusion delivers chemo straight to the liver.  He is in for his second treatment today.  He will be in the hospital for five days straight getting the chemo and then he will return home.  We are positive with some of the results so far. 

     He is being treated at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas.  I don't know where you live, but you may want to get a second and thrid and fourth opinion.  There are so many new treatments out there than there used to be.  Don't give up hope.  Seek out as much information as you can and don't be afraid to ask questions, lots of questions.  Today in healthcare, you really have to advocate for yourself and your loved ones. 

     I hope that this helps you.  Feel free to contact me anytime.  You and your family will be in my prayers.

                                                        Mandye