How are people with liver mets doing?
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Hello Ladies. Although I don't post here very often, I check into this thread daily and have found the info here invaluable. Thanks!
My wife's latest scan reported that the Abraxine has shrunk the tumors in both her liver and her lungs. WooHoo! The scan did report the following however: "greater than 100 metastatic lesions are found within the liver". Isn't this a tremendous amount of metastatic lesions?
We also found out today she has a 2.5 cm tumor in brain. Surgery scheduled for Wednesday to remove that. WOW! This MBC never ends.
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Happy for the shrinkage of the tumors Mike...good luck to you both with the surgery!
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Nicole, in your pocket for scans. Thinking good thoughts.
Scrunch - thanks for the update on JFL.
Candy - I think the difference between leaving a tumor the breast and removing one from the liver is due to the difference in functionality. You don't need a functioning breast, but your liver has to keep working. Plus, I think they're starting to reconsider mastectomy for Stage IV in some cases. Re: the shoulder- are they recommending against surgery because of the low blood counts? Surely not just because you're Stage IV? If that is the case, you need a new doc.
BLMike- I'm so sorry to hear of your wife's progression. I hope the surgery Wednesday and the recovery go smoothly. Re the liver mets, I've heard 'diffuse mets' and 'numerous mets', but haven't heard it put quite that way.
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Thank you SeeQ
I have to tell you all..I am really sad over Julie - JFL... I mean was it the Acites> spelling?? She said the Enhertu was working great and her liver numbers were all coming down and were like normal?? Can Acites make things go down hill like that?
I am just so sad about this ..for her and her husband...and her little one.
I am praying for the Father to cover her and her family
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I have bot been doing well and staying off this site until I had some answers. Of curse its friday night and I get the frightening MRI rests. My tumor that was 2.8 cm on Jun 1 is now "Enlarged left lobe. * The left lobe is mostly replaced by confluent tumor which is T1 hypointense and heterogeneously T2 hyperintense.* Confluent mass in the medial and lateral segments of the left lobe measures up to 18.6 x 8.0 cm on series 10, image 49. My tumor markers are through the roof and I am scared as hell and no one to talk about this until Monday. I have no idea the outcome of the Y90 yet. My cancer was so well behaved and suddenly in one month. Anyone have any ideas?
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Hope and Gratutude. Hoping someone with Y90 experience will respond. Maybe this is artifactual?
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This is in the left lobe, Y90 was in the right lobe.
Is this my demise?
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LFF,
I'm thinking you just have some post-radiation inflammation and you will see shrinkage in another 3-6 months. Radiation can take a long time to show results. With my eye, it took more than a year. Congratulations on a good scan!
candy,
After consultation with my Rad Onc who was ready to SBRT my two liver tumors, my MO said that it would be better not to do anything. She was worried that I would have liver damage from MWA or SBRT and I would probably just get more liver tumors. So pretty much as you said, why take the risk? I have two liver tumors, one in section 8, the other in section 4A. Both near the top of my liver. The 4A one is actually in the subcapsular space around the liver. I don't have any symptoms from my liver tumors. I was also surprised that she said that some of her patients have had problems after MWA and SBRT.
Hugs, Susan
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I saw my MO on Thursday. She agreed to my idea of having no TX for the next three months. I didn’t have to talk her into it. She agreed that I needed a break. She asked that I would call her if anything got worse, more pain, etc. She didn’t seem to think it was a high risk plan
it seems surreal today. It doesn’t seem possible that I don’t have to go to the cancer center for twelve weeks.
I don’t have to tell you that it is a relief. I plan to spend lots of time with my kids and my grandchildren. Also, my BFFS. I’m not going to miss any birthdays or important events. It feels like I’ve been given back time that I would normally be spending getting chemo, getting blood transfusion and Neupogen shots. Not to mention feeling better.
If you’re reading this JFL, I’m thinking of you and praying for you and your family. H and G hope you get the answers you need to make a plan
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Grannax- great decision. You sound at peace. Enjoy your time with family and friends!
Hopeandgrattitude- no answers but please know I care, and pray for peace over the weekend. The answer will be the same on Monday as it is today- try to distract yourself with good things. This is a tough time.
Nicole, prayers for a good report. I hate scanxiety
Scrunch - thanks for the update on JFL. Hoping she turns the corner for good
Candy - I hear you. Liver surgery seems overwhelming. I hope you get answers and peace about the right path.
BLMike- prayers for surgery and hoping those numerous liver tumors get knocked out with systemic treatment.
I know there are others here in pain, confusion and frustration from cancer and all the SE. this is such an unwanted journey that we are on together. I wish I could ease the burden fir all of you in some tangible way. I care and hope/pray for y’all
Dee0 -
Dee thank you!!!
Hope I was literally just thinking about you and i came here and your post was the first one I saw!!! I hope someone here responds about the Y90 ...can you go to a Taxane chemo to kick things back?
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HopeandGratitude- I am sorry I cannot advise you on your situation. I just do not know enough about it. I was thinking like Sandibeach about the artifact after Y90, but you said it is the other lobe. I hate for you that you have to wait the weekend. Would your MO be on call for you to call her/him? Would that be an option? Prayers to you.
Grannax- Enjoy your time off treatment, to be with your family and have quality time. Hugs.
SeeQ- I know the liver function is life threatening, whereas the breast, or shoulder, is not. But, as my MO says, my "small, steady growth" of the liver tumors are not too bad yet. My liver function is not affected,, yet. My shoulder is QOL--- decreased ROM and pain at night with lying on that side. The labrum tear is significant and the shoulder is unstable. Yes, with the Stage 4 I am not a surgical candidate. And not just for the shoulder. I have back issues too. And another ortho doc (each doc does different body parts, 1 for the upper extremities, 1 for the spine) said I need lumbar fusion, but due to the Stage 4 cancer he would not do surgery. And the pain management doc, in the ortho clinic, recommended epidural steroid shots to the back, but.... due to the Stage 4 cancer (the low white counts specifically) she would not touch me for the injections. So, no ortho surgeries, for QOL issues. But major liver surgery for "small" tumors??
I have a RO consult appointment for July 20. Have not heard from the liver surgeon referral yet for that appointment. I am making a list of questions. I don't know if the RO will discuss Y90, ablations, and other options, and the surgeon will discuss resection. I guess that is how it goes. No consult ordered for an IR.
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I know my mother who had metastatic cancer was told by a GI doc they would not treat her because she was going to die. She had a few choice words for him and found a ZhI doc who would take care of her.
I guess what I’m saying is that if you WIZl is suffering then fight for what you need. In this case it might not be a surgery, but I r we oils like yo think there is something they can do to help you.
My mother by the way lived for 5 more years, so it was totally worth it.
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Grannex- I am glad you are taking the time to enjoy your life.
Hopengratitude- I am thinking of you and hoping you can find a treatment that you are comfortable with. My liver has been riddled with tumors before and taxol took care of that. I hope they find something that works for you.
Nicole- best wishes yo good scabs.
BLmike- nest e we if he’s on the upcoming treatment and new treatment plan. May it bring great results.
Sorry if I missed you. I try to keep up but know I. As m missing some. You all are always in my thoughts.
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Grannax, that sounds like the perfect plan. Enjoy every minute of rest, recuperation, and most of all time with your beloved family and friends.
{{{ Hugs }}}
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Candy - your situation is different than mine (you have bone mets, PE, and low counts in bloodwork), but I am about to schedule parathyroid surgery. It's normally an outpatient procedure, with minimal recovery time, so I am not comparing it to liver resection in any way. I asked my MO if he had any concerns about the surgery (he doesn't), and the center doing the surgery knows I'm Stage IV (and has my pertinent records). I'm going ahead with the surgery to halt further bone loss and hopefully resolve some other issues. As I said, there are others factors involved in your situation that could impact the decision not to treat, but it doesn't seem that Stage IV, alone, should rule out every non-cancer-related procedure.
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SeeQ- I agree with you. Stage 4 alone should not exclude us from the medical care we need. Yes, if you need parathyroid surgery then you should have that option of surgery. I wish you well and that it takes care of your issues.
Maybe it is my perception in some cases. I have had a slow growing ganglion cyst on my wrist for quite some time. Doesn't bother me, per se. More of a cosmetic issue--makes my wrist look deformed. And I bump it sometimes and that hurts. They are not dangerous though. I showed it to my PCP, but it was after the Stage 4 diagnosis. I got the indication from him that I had bigger fish to fry, so to speak. And that having it removed would be more of an issue-- the low white count on Ibrance-- so off cancer med for an extra week to raise the counts. And he just seemed unconcerned about it. He didn't say it but I could tell he was saying "You have Stage 4 cancer girl, we are not concerned about this cyst and we are not going to do anything about it". IF I was not Stage 4 when I showed him, but a healthy person, would we have consulted someone to remove it??? I was not given that option of "hey that can be removed if you want". Now, over time, it has grown more. And now I really do not want off the cancer meds for a week or so for surgery, and now the blood thinner is an issue too.
Just my perception I am getting from my docs- PCP, ortho, etc. I am Stage 4. Do non-surgery options. Tylenol, physical therapy, yoga for the pains. Conservative treatments. Nothing "aggressive". That is my perception.
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Candy - I see your point. I have a small subcutaneous cyst (unfortunately in upper right abdomen) that causes me a little pain, now and then. BUT, it's not cancer, it's not growing, and it's not infected (had that happen before), so I'm not worrying (too much) about it. I guess my point is that I'd hate for your doctors to be "writing you off". Maybe, when it's time for a treatment change for your cancer, it will open doors for treatments for your non-cancer issues. One can hope, I guess.
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Thanks, ladies. I’m starting my new plan today. Celebrating my BFF’s birthday at my house. We’re going to watch “Dream Horse” together with my other BFF. It’s a great movie. I’m a horse lover but you don’t have to be one to love this movie based on a true story
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Grannax- Enjoy.
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SusanInSF - thank you for your comments on how radiation can take months to show results. Last treatment was May 13. It shrunk a lot, but is still there. Keep hoping to wake up and find it gone gone gone! I was so swollen that I lost a lot of range-of-motion, but it is coming back as well. Fell more encouraged to continue the exercises.
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Dear all, uhh, I was away for a week and so much has happened here. I am praying for JFL's improvement. She's so strong... Saulius
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Well tomorrow is the PET and MRI of Liver but the MRI of C spine hit the My chart not good...looks like Afinitor failed...
TECHNIQUE: Multiplanar, multisequence MR imaging of the cervical spine was
performed before and after the intravenous injection of 5 cc of Gadavist.
FINDINGS: There is progressive signal abnormality centered in the spinous
process of C7, with more focal STIR hyperintensity that measures up to 8 mm
AP. The findings are most consistent with progressive tumor in this region.
There is new abnormal signal with enhancement involving the articular facet
and pedicle of C7 on the left. No significant epidural tumor is identified.
There is multilevel degenerative cervical spondylosis, as before. The
cervical spinal cord is normal in caliber and signal intensity.
There is a lesion in the T2 vertebral body which will be discussed on the
concurrent thoracic spine MRI report.
IMPRESSION:
Disease progression, with interval enlargement of the C7
spinous process lesion and a new lesion involving the articular facet and
pedicle of C7 on the left.
THIS is the T- spine...what is that t9 all about????!!!!!! I am really upset...
COMPARISON: Prior thoracic spine MRI 07/09/2021TECHNIQUE: Multiplanar, multisequence MR imaging of the thoracic spine was
performed before and after the intravenous injection of 5 cc of Gadavist.
FINDINGS: New from the prior MRI examination, there is abnormal STIR
hyperintensity and enhancement involving virtually entirety of the T3
vertebral body which is consistent with progressive disease. There is
minimal extraosseous extension, with epidural tumor ventrally that measures
up to approximately 2 mm in thickness. There is no associated significant
canal stenosis or cord compression.
No additional worrisome thoracic lesions are identified. There is a small
hemangioma involving the dorsal aspect of the T9 vertebral body, as before.
The spinal canal is widely patent. There is prominence of the central canal
of the thoracic spinal cord, without focal intramedullary lesion. There are
hepatic lesions that are partially imaged and incompletely evaluated.
IMPRESSION:
There is a new metastatic focus replacing majority of the T3
vertebral body. There is early canal compromise with minimal tumor
extension into the ventral epidural space. The spinal canal remains patent.
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Oh Nicole I am sorry to read this. Praying for your liver MRI and PET tomorrow. Praying for no progression to the organ. Do you know what may be next for you? I know you have had it rough and have had unsuccessful treatments up to now. This cancer is so unfair. Why some do good for so long and some do not. I am sorry to post about my issues when you have struggled so much.
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Praying for JFL.
Nicole, that is devastating to hear. You are and will continue to be in my prayers. I pray that you find a treatment that works for you.
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thinking of you Nicole.
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Oh NIcole, this sucks. I'm really hoping organs will be clear though and you can tackle these stupid spine mets with SBRT.
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Nicole, I am so sorry about your spine mets and I'm hoping for much better results on your PET scan. Praying that you feel all of the love and support coming from everyone here.
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Nicole, can rad be done on those bone mets?It sounds like you have excellent medical team that will help you navigate thru this blip. Your tx is out there..have you had recent genomic report? Can you redirect your worries and do something for yourself? Like going out for ice cream?
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Nicole
This stinks! I care! HUGGGGGS!
You must be so concerned about the noted progression on this report. Can you talk to your doctor now? I know you have the other scans coming but you could use some reassurance.
You have been through so much. I remember you said you could not get into counseling at palliative care for a long time, but maybe look into a private counselor. Talking it through helped mePlease cry, vent, process and try not to fear. We are here for you.
Dee
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