CancerCompass message board discussion started by ramsabi on 4/2/2008 http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,22636,0.htm Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss RSS.NET: http://www.rssdotnet.com/ I live in India with my father. He is 73 years old. He has been diagnosed with:1. unresectable HCC advanced stage (stage 3a).The oncologsit says it is malignant based on a 64 skice CT scan and an Alfa Protein Test with a readng of 3647 (reference range less than 6). No biopsy has been conducted. Metatstases is undetermined.My father has absolutely no symptoms except substantial weight loss (5-6 kilos) over the past 6 months wheh he was in the US with my brother. We lost my mother about 6 months back. So we ascribed the weight loss to emotional stress and also tot he fact that in the US he was walking 3 miles a day.He has tested postive for Anti HEV (IgM) is positive. Anti HCV EIA III Generation is positive. HCV RT PCR QUANTITATIVE Viral Load: 16513 copies/ml2.cirrhosis liver with portal hypertension.No treatment suggested3. Coronary Artery Syndrom:  acte cardiac sybdrome.No specific diagnosis. The Gastroenterologist and Oncologist gave a clerance for a coronary angiogram but given his liver condition the cardiologist decided against the angiogram and the consequent angioplasty/bypass. He is now on medical management.SummaryAll the doctors have opined that not many  treatment options are  available now for all the three conditions because of the combination of conditions.The oncologist has ruled out all forms of liver cancer treatment (surgery, adiation, radio ablation, cryosurgey, etc.). He has now been put on a course of Xeloda (2500 mg/day). Nexavar was suggested as an option but it is prohibitively expensive and we have no medical insurance.Iin addition I could not find much data on extension of survival time and prognosis. My understanding is that  that survival time using Nexavar is extended between 1 to 3 months on an average.My father has not touched a single drop of alcohol in his life. he is a non-smoker and a vegetarian from birth. He has followed a strict regimen of yoga, physical exercise and meditation fot the past 40 years and has had a completely disciplined lifestyle.In 1955 he had a bout of jaundicwe which now in hindsight seems to have been hepatitis C. The doctors' opinioin is that the virus has remained dormant and has led to the cirrhosis and ultimately cellular hepotama.I would be grateful for all the assistance and support that I the members of this board can offer me. ramsabi Wed, 02 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT My dad is an hcc/ alpha 1 zz survivor.  He is 3 yrs cancer free from a liver transplant.  He also had some sort of autoimmune hepatitis that did not help his situation, but he is doing well...prognosis is much better.  Just keep the hope that medicine will bring your father back to good health.  I will keep you and him in my prayers. reneesunset Sun, 01 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT