I'm 21 years old, from NJ, and about 4 weeks ago my father started to complain that he had severe pains around his liver area. One night he had a very high fever that went away the next day. My moher and I immediately told him to go to the doctor, in which he did. They did an MRI and it turned out they found an 8.9 X 9cm tumor on my father's liver with lesions. They did more tests on my father, claiming the tumor could be malignant. After doing a biopsy..it turned out to be maignant. The doctors were almost certain it was also metastic. They ran more tests, so far his lungs colon, spleen, and galbladder are fine. They claim it might be coming from the pancreas but they still are doing more tests to find out (especially since another MRI he had showed that the pancreas was fine). Doctors are claiming that they can't operate since this tumor is very large and they feel an operation could not only kill him but make the cancer spread. Now, at this point I have no idea if this is liver cancer or cancer of some place else. Doctors want to start my dad on chemo to help shrink this tumor and also stop the spread of the cancer if it is coming from some place else. My father is willing to do whatever it takes to get better.
Today my father went to the doctor and according to the reports they said my father is very sick and they cant wait much longer and want to start him on chemo ASAP. The only thing they are extremely confused about is the way my father acts...he is eating normally, he has no more pain around his liver area, he hasnt lost weight, he isnt yellow and neither are his eyes, he isnt weak or has a loss of appetite.
Like I have said earlier, I am 21 years old..my father will be 60 in November. No one in our family has ever had cancer before so I feel like my world is slowly crumbling around me. I am very close to him and am just confused as to why he is showing no signs of being extremely sick as the doctor's say.
I am new to all of this so I was wondering if someone could help me and lend me any information or stories...anything!!
I guess my question here is...with chemo, would that really help to shrink a tumor as large as my fathers? Is there anything that can help repair his liver? The doctor thinks a transplant is a bad idea right now. My father isnt a drinker, but is a very heavy smoker...and after finding out all of this information has quit smoking. Doctors are also shocked that his lungs are fine considering how heavy of a smoker he was.
Like I have said, my father shows no symptoms of having a cancer in an advanced stage. No weight loss, no yellowing of the skin, he eats normally...thats why everyone is so confused.
If anyone could lend me any information or stories or anything it would be much appreciated.
Thank you!
-Nicole