my mum has been diagnosed with liver cancer...?

Question

She has been prescribed with steriods which are helping the symptoms and is about to start a really low dose of chemo through tablets. The doctor says this will only prolong her life by months and couldn't say how many if it helps at all. I would appriciate any contact from others in simular situations or those that could offer any advice.
thank you
Claire

she hasen't yet been assigned a macmillian nurse as 2 months ago they didn't even know the problem. I already knew they don't do transplants but thank you all for your adviec and kind words, i didn't expect such a response. I'm sorry to all who have lost people to cancer. I wish there was a miracle cure...

Answer 1

Claire, i am so sorry to hear your sad news honey. I lost my sister to liver cancer 5 years ago. Has yr mum been assigned a Macmillan nurse yet? If so they will help u also. They r absolutely excellent. It might be a good idea for u to talk to a counsellor to help u thru this. Just live every day. Have u got support in the rest of the family? Enjoy this Xmas fully with her. My best wishes go out to u and yr mum. x

Answer 2

Lets clear a few things up. Patients with primary liver cancer CAN BE potential liver transplantation candidates. The primary liver cancer (HCC - hepatocelluar carcinoma, not intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma) is amenable to transplantation if it is below 5cm in diameter and not multi focal. In cases of multifocal tumour, RFA (Radio Frequency Ablation - where alcohol is injected into the tumour and this is then heated to destroy the tumour) can be used, but again, has best results against tumour nodules under 5cm. For primary HCC, another technique is chemoembolisation, which involves injecting a dose of chemotherapy directly into the tumour, and then embolising the blood supply to the tumour.

For secondary liver cancer, which predominantly has spread from the bowel, there are still options available, but this depends on which segments of the liver are involved, and how much healthy residual liver will be left to regenerate. Even with little liver remaining, it can be grown prior to resection. RFA can be used if the there is widespread disease in the right lobe, with a solitary met in the left.

Chemotherapy. By the virtue she is on this, i would guess this is secondary liver cancer, as chemotherapy is not normally used to treat HCC. Oxaliplatin has had some excellent results for colorectal liver mets, but response rate, as with many chemo drugs, is around 30% who experience stabalised disease and/or regression.

Answer 3

I sympathise with what you're dealing with on the 2nd. My mom became first clinically determined with breast maximum cancers 6 years in the past. She had a mastectomy and became given tamoxifen. 2 years later the main cancers back in the chest wall and he or she underwent a direction of radiotherapy for 6 weeks.....doing a a hundred and forty mile around holiday on an popular basis. Then 2 years in the past she had secondary lung maximum cancers and had chemotherapy. Then final Friday we've been advised that the main cancers has long previous to the strategies. She has been given steroids and could decide for radiotherapy lower back. She has consistently replied nicely to treatment and that's her stable character and determination which has have been given her this a approaches. She has this type of spectacular beneficial attitude. Its an undesirable time yet your Mum's faith and positiveness will help plenty throughout the time of treatment. I wish you the two nicely.

Answer 4

Oh, Claire I am so very sorry, you do not say how old you are or whether you have brothers or sisters that can be with you and help you through this. When my step-mother died from liver cancer her daughter was only 21years old I was in my late twenties, we were both devastated but we had the comfort of each other. I hope you have the same. Talk to your mother now, tell her every thing in the world that you want to tell her, don`t leave anything out. hold her and love her now, do everything you can with her now. My mother died within two weeks of being diagnosed, we didn`t have the time to talk to our mother and there was so much left un-said for us. Bless you, try to stay smiling for your mother, she will be worrying about you.

Answer 5

I'm sorry to hear about your mum Claire. My mum died of lung cancer which spread rapidly. She had radiotherapy which she said burned badly. It sounds like your mothers treatment is less severe so if isn't a great discomfort to her then there is a chance of prolonging her life.Her wishes are what counts though. My mum was on oxygen and couldn't move out of her chair but the local vicar came and took Communion with her. It really helped. She suddenly was able to climb the stairs and had lots of energy for a few hours. It made her so happy to take Communion with The Lord Jesus. Prayers will certainly help Claire. God bless you both.

Answer 6

I am not sure what your mothers current condition is from your description. If she is in relatively good health (other than the cancer) she may be a candidate for RadioFrequency Ablation (even if it is pallative) or other liver cancer treatments. They are doing some amazing treatments in the US at places like the University of Pittsburgh cancer center. Pittsburgh isn't the only place they do this treatment, but we have been there for treatment for my son (he had intraperitoneal hypthermic chemoperfusion).

Please read through this site to see if it might be of any benefit to your mother. Ask her doctor what he thinks.

RadioFrequency Ablation
http://www.pittsurgonc.com/procedures/radiofrequency.htm

Another treatment for advanced liver cancer being offered is:

Hepatic Arterial Infusion Chemotherapy
http://www.pittsurgonc.com/procedures/hepaticarterialinfusion.htm

Liver And Intrahepatic Biliary Tract Cancer Treatment
http://www.upmccancercenters.com/pdq_xml/cancer.cfm?id=80

Good luck to you both. Stay strong. And, you might want to consider a second or third opinion just to see if there are any other options available.

Answer 7

Combination of more than one modality in the treatment of malignancies has proven worthwhile in many different settings with many different types of cancers. In the case of HCC’s or metastatic cancers to the liver, it now appears that the combination of techniques of liver resection with ablation of other lesions will allow a greater percentage of patients with these cancers to be treated. Resection of a single lobe of the liver can now be accomplished in patients who would have historically been excluded from consideration, since remaining other lesions within the liver can be ablated at the same time as the resection. I do not know what percentage of patients will fit this category as this is still an area under active investigation and development across the Developed World. However, I believe that the combination of hepatic resection and ablation will be very important in the management of these patients for years to come.

Answer 8

I'm sorry about your mom. I'm a cancer survivor. If it's any consoliation to you both, my fathers friend Tony has had liver cancer that has spread to the bowel for 9 years. 9 years ago he was given 6 months to a year to live, technology has come up with many different kinds of new chemo and treatment options that has allowed Tony to become one of the many people that now live with cancer like people live with asthma, diabetes or any illness.

I would suggest you both join a support group so you can inter-relate to others with the condition and that helps you stay on top of new treatments, acor.org has alot of good groups that are always on top of new treatments and yahoo has great groups too for sharing. I would study the internet and subscribe to yahoo and medical journal alerts on liver cancer and treatment options so you can stay on top of things. I would get a few other opinions about the cancer too. Tell your mom to stay positive and live each day to the fullest doing what she wants to do.

Answer 9

For what it's worth, there's really no advice that can really help, but I can offer commiseration: my mom died of ovarian cancer with metastases to the liver about six years ago.
Tough and awful hindsight: the last months of battling the liver cancer after multiple surgeries were not worth it and we probably should have given up earlier, but how do you do that anyway?
There is an excellent doctor in London at the Hammersmith hospital, called Nagy Habib, who does some extraordinary surgeries and is one of the world authorities on liver cancer. If you want to exhaust possibilities, you may want to find him and just ask. It can't hurt - he gave us an extra year.
Beyond that...well, e-mail me if you just need to talk.

Alex

Answer 10

I cannot offer anything in the way of links to sources of help but I would suggest that you try to put in place support for yourself. It seems the doctors are telling you to prepare for the worst and while you still have strength, do just that. Practical things like funeral plans to cover expenses, insurances, hospice placement' - I know it is horrible to even think about but it is no easier when you are distraught with grief and had no sleep for days/ weeks. Even test the waters with your mother - she may have wishes you could honour. Every death is tragic but still part of the circle of life and your mother would be even more grief stricken than you to have out lived her child. Make the most.