Ok, met with the Liver surgeon yesterday - NO PERSONALITY whatsoever! Told me feels he can go in and get clean margins, not a problem so thats all good, but all the other stuf which I KNOW they need to tell you just made my head spin: he said 3 out of 100 patients die from this procedure, becasue I have suspect nodules in the lungs this may not cure me (that I know), surgery could cause my quality of life to decrease, 30-40% of patients experience some sort of complication. All stuff I know but it was hard to hear. I have heard excellent things about him as a sugeon but his personality is horrible! The good news is he feels very confident he can go in and get the tumor out with clear margins, taking about 50% of the liver.
any suggestions, input anything right now would be really appreciated.
Carolyn
liver resection
Carolyn,
I know you are in TN ... if you are willing/able to make a trip to Atlanta for a liver resection, my surgeon was very, very good AND has a good personality!
Sure, it's true that there are potential complications with liver surgery, but then other times it goes very wmoothly with few or no complications. If the surgeon comes highly recommended, then maybe his personality, or lack personality, is a good trade-off for the peace of mind. But really ... if you want another option and can possibly do the surgery in Atlanta, send me a note and I'll give you the info on my liver surgeon.
Rodney
I know you are in TN ... if you are willing/able to make a trip to Atlanta for a liver resection, my surgeon was very, very good AND has a good personality!
Sure, it's true that there are potential complications with liver surgery, but then other times it goes very wmoothly with few or no complications. If the surgeon comes highly recommended, then maybe his personality, or lack personality, is a good trade-off for the peace of mind. But really ... if you want another option and can possibly do the surgery in Atlanta, send me a note and I'll give you the info on my liver surgeon.
Rodney
hi there,
well complications are true for any surgery thats for sure. i sent you a pm as well but i will just say some more here. i have done alot of research on this of course being stage 4 and having liver resection and you have to be 100% comfortable with your doc. ask him how many of these he has done. if he gets cocky and won't answer then go elsewhere. i did that when i went to sloan my surgeon had no problem answering anything i asked him, he was very nice, has done numerous liver surgeries and i was very comfortable the day i went into surgery knowing he was doing the surgery. he also stated while sometimes if the liver is the only site of spread that liver resection can be curative for some people. he also said recurrance does happen it can happen within months, years, or not at all that is impossible to say. for anyone with liver mets resection is the only chance for long term survial those things got to come out of there before they spread elsewhere. so there is my experience with the liver surgery. the 30 to 40% complication thing seems a little higher then what i have learned. i had minor complications like fluid build up on my right lung but i didn't even know it until post surgery cat scan said so and it has since fixed itself. just do your research look at some web sites of different places like md anderson, sloan, fox chase, johns hopkins, the liver foundation has a good site that talks about colon cancer mets to liver and the upmc webite is great as well. a lady i see here in florida at chemo traveled to massachusettes general hospital for her liver surgery and said her doc was great so there are many options. like rodney posted before me about his surgeon in atlanta there are plenty of places to go for help.
missj
well complications are true for any surgery thats for sure. i sent you a pm as well but i will just say some more here. i have done alot of research on this of course being stage 4 and having liver resection and you have to be 100% comfortable with your doc. ask him how many of these he has done. if he gets cocky and won't answer then go elsewhere. i did that when i went to sloan my surgeon had no problem answering anything i asked him, he was very nice, has done numerous liver surgeries and i was very comfortable the day i went into surgery knowing he was doing the surgery. he also stated while sometimes if the liver is the only site of spread that liver resection can be curative for some people. he also said recurrance does happen it can happen within months, years, or not at all that is impossible to say. for anyone with liver mets resection is the only chance for long term survial those things got to come out of there before they spread elsewhere. so there is my experience with the liver surgery. the 30 to 40% complication thing seems a little higher then what i have learned. i had minor complications like fluid build up on my right lung but i didn't even know it until post surgery cat scan said so and it has since fixed itself. just do your research look at some web sites of different places like md anderson, sloan, fox chase, johns hopkins, the liver foundation has a good site that talks about colon cancer mets to liver and the upmc webite is great as well. a lady i see here in florida at chemo traveled to massachusettes general hospital for her liver surgery and said her doc was great so there are many options. like rodney posted before me about his surgeon in atlanta there are plenty of places to go for help.
missj
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Lifes2short
- Posts: 549
- Joined: Mon Oct 30, 2006 10:54 pm
- Location: Salt Lake City, UT
Personally, I wouldn't do liver resection if there's other metastasis. The surgery is risky, recovery is long and liklihood of full cure is nil if you have other mets. I say this from experience.
I had a surgeon who wanted to do resection on my liver. He too was sure he could get all the cancer out. Second, third, and fourth opinions said it was very extreme surgery and that the disease was likely to keep spreading due to the other mets in my body. I spent a long time trying to decide what to do. In the end, I didn't want to spend my precious "healthy" time recovering from liver surgery. NOT doing surgery turned out to be the right thing for me. Just two months after I was to have surgery we have now found mets in my bones and cancerous lymph nodes around my hepatic bile duct. These would have happened whether or not I had liver surgery, but my ability to withstand chemo and fight these further mets would be much lower if I were still recovering from surgery and trying to function with only half my liver.
I think resection is an excellent option if the cancer has spread only to the liver. Otherwise, I believe that the risks and potential for long term problems outwiegh the potential benefit.
Folfox stopped my liver mets and they are still dead. Have you tried chemo yet? If not, I would give that a try first.
I had a surgeon who wanted to do resection on my liver. He too was sure he could get all the cancer out. Second, third, and fourth opinions said it was very extreme surgery and that the disease was likely to keep spreading due to the other mets in my body. I spent a long time trying to decide what to do. In the end, I didn't want to spend my precious "healthy" time recovering from liver surgery. NOT doing surgery turned out to be the right thing for me. Just two months after I was to have surgery we have now found mets in my bones and cancerous lymph nodes around my hepatic bile duct. These would have happened whether or not I had liver surgery, but my ability to withstand chemo and fight these further mets would be much lower if I were still recovering from surgery and trying to function with only half my liver.
I think resection is an excellent option if the cancer has spread only to the liver. Otherwise, I believe that the risks and potential for long term problems outwiegh the potential benefit.
Folfox stopped my liver mets and they are still dead. Have you tried chemo yet? If not, I would give that a try first.
Re: liver resection
I had 1/2 of my liver removed and some near by swollen lymph nodes also. I got clear margins in the liver, but some of the nodes were positive, so I was very happy that the liver Dr. also removed them. I then had 28 radiation treatments over the node area. I am now on oral xeloda for 6 months and doing well. I would rather have the C removed then to try and kill it by chemo. Just my opinion. The surgery was not as bad as I expected. I was in the hospital 5 days and recoverd well at home for about 2 weeks. I then started the radiation. Good luck in what ever you do and where ever you go.
Carolyn JB wrote:Ok, met with the Liver surgeon yesterday - NO PERSONALITY whatsoever! Told me feels he can go in and get clean margins, not a problem so thats all good, but all the other stuf which I KNOW they need to tell you just made my head spin: he said 3 out of 100 patients die from this procedure, becasue I have suspect nodules in the lungs this may not cure me (that I know), surgery could cause my quality of life to decrease, 30-40% of patients experience some sort of complication. All stuff I know but it was hard to hear. I have heard excellent things about him as a sugeon but his personality is horrible! The good news is he feels very confident he can go in and get the tumor out with clear margins, taking about 50% of the liver.
any suggestions, input anything right now would be really appreciated.
Carolyn
Oct 2003 surgery 36 weeks 5FU
Dec 2006-mets to liver and lymph nodes (stage 1V ) Had liver resection/radiation/chemo
2008 nodes on lungs started FOLFOX4, 5FU/leucovorin, avastin. After 10 cycles no change
Oct 2008 started 5-FU
May 2009-Folfox4
Dec 2006-mets to liver and lymph nodes (stage 1V ) Had liver resection/radiation/chemo
2008 nodes on lungs started FOLFOX4, 5FU/leucovorin, avastin. After 10 cycles no change
Oct 2008 started 5-FU
May 2009-Folfox4
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Carolyn JB
- Posts: 116
- Joined: Tue Feb 13, 2007 9:50 am
- Location: TN
I have done 6 treatments of Folfox 6- and had a scan which showed that the liver tumor has shrunk approx. 1cm, the lung nodules barely shrunk if that. They are so tiny they couldn't really tell if they had shrunk or not. So I hate to not go for the surgery IF perhaps that could be a cure for me . It could also very well be in my lungs BUT its the what if its not?? My one oncologist feels go in and get it now - since it is shrinking. He doesn't want to give the chemo a chance to stop working. I guess too, I feel what if we can get this out, then if shows to be in the lungs, perhaps we can get that out too?
Carolyn
Carolyn
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Lifes2short
- Posts: 549
- Joined: Mon Oct 30, 2006 10:54 pm
- Location: Salt Lake City, UT
hi,
well in my opinion i would go for the surgery. in my experience recovery was not bad i was sore of course and could not do lifting and things but now 6 months later i feel fine everything has healed and i am glad i did it. i had at the time no other evidence of disease in my body so liver surgery was of course the best thing i could have done before it went elsewhere. the new chemo drugs out now are also real good, i had 8 folfox with avastin treatments before my surgery and when my mets were removed they were pretty much dead my pre surgery pet scan showed no activity on the liver but i was told if the areas were not removed they would sprout back up. everyone is different and you have to do some soul searching and figure out what is right for you to do. i went with the most aggressive thing i could have done being that i am in otherwise great health and i have a small child that i do not want to leave without a mother. i know this a reoccurring cancer or it could not come back at all no one knows that for sure. i am just glad i did the surgery and can say for now i am ned and hope it lasts for along time and if the shit comes back i will go through everything again if it buys me more time with my family. i wish everyone well in whatever they decide to do and hope we can all beat this thing.
missjv
well in my opinion i would go for the surgery. in my experience recovery was not bad i was sore of course and could not do lifting and things but now 6 months later i feel fine everything has healed and i am glad i did it. i had at the time no other evidence of disease in my body so liver surgery was of course the best thing i could have done before it went elsewhere. the new chemo drugs out now are also real good, i had 8 folfox with avastin treatments before my surgery and when my mets were removed they were pretty much dead my pre surgery pet scan showed no activity on the liver but i was told if the areas were not removed they would sprout back up. everyone is different and you have to do some soul searching and figure out what is right for you to do. i went with the most aggressive thing i could have done being that i am in otherwise great health and i have a small child that i do not want to leave without a mother. i know this a reoccurring cancer or it could not come back at all no one knows that for sure. i am just glad i did the surgery and can say for now i am ned and hope it lasts for along time and if the shit comes back i will go through everything again if it buys me more time with my family. i wish everyone well in whatever they decide to do and hope we can all beat this thing.
missjv
Carolyn -- I can appreciate your dilemma and agree with the advise about getting another opinion and then not looking back. Although you certainly don't choose a surgeon based on bedside manner, a little charm and tact goes a long way. I recently saw my surgeon for a post-radiation check-up. He examined me, then told me to sit in the waiting room until the appointments sectretary was available. I had no idea that this was his way of saying goodbye/nice to see you/have a nice summer!
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Carolyn JB
- Posts: 116
- Joined: Tue Feb 13, 2007 9:50 am
- Location: TN
Ok - well after much thought and discussion between my husband and I and both oncologists - we have sceduled surgery for June 14th. I go on the 30th for all the pre-op stuff and to meet with the surgeon one more time and do all the pre op stuff. So one more treatment of Folfox minus the avastin, then I can enjoy unitl June 14th. I am scared but I know that right now this is my chance.
Carolyn
Carolyn
surgery
Good luck to you, Carolyn!
Carolyn JB wrote:Ok - well after much thought and discussion between my husband and I and both oncologists - we have sceduled surgery for June 14th. I go on the 30th for all the pre-op stuff and to meet with the surgeon one more time and do all the pre op stuff. So one more treatment of Folfox minus the avastin, then I can enjoy unitl June 14th. I am scared but I know that right now this is my chance.
Carolyn
Oct 2003 surgery 36 weeks 5FU
Dec 2006-mets to liver and lymph nodes (stage 1V ) Had liver resection/radiation/chemo
2008 nodes on lungs started FOLFOX4, 5FU/leucovorin, avastin. After 10 cycles no change
Oct 2008 started 5-FU
May 2009-Folfox4
Dec 2006-mets to liver and lymph nodes (stage 1V ) Had liver resection/radiation/chemo
2008 nodes on lungs started FOLFOX4, 5FU/leucovorin, avastin. After 10 cycles no change
Oct 2008 started 5-FU
May 2009-Folfox4
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Lifes2short
- Posts: 549
- Joined: Mon Oct 30, 2006 10:54 pm
- Location: Salt Lake City, UT
hi,
i think you are doing the right thing. as far as cancer goes surgical removal is always the best if it can be done to get the crap out as it is very rare that chemo alone will cure stage 4 colon cancer it has been done before but kind of rare. the surgery itself was not as horrible as i thought it would be. i was sore afterwords of course and imited in my activities for a while but now 6 months later i feel great, my last scans were good, my liver has grown back and best thing there is no cancer on it so if i had to do it over again i would. i am also on 6 months adjuvent chemo of 5fu and irenotecan i have 2 more treatments, and also have the hepatic artery pump that sends chemo directly to liver and i have 1 more treatment to that then chemo is over and im hoping it got all the micromets in my system. the interoperative ultrasound on my liver did not find anything else on the liver so that was good, but i guess the true test will be after chemo is over to see if anything grows back and if it does then i will do it all again. duke university had a video of actual liver resection surgery if you want to see before you go what it is like, i found it quite interesting to watch but it shows how they do surgery and what the cancer on the liver looks like. well good luck im sure you will do fine.
missjv
i think you are doing the right thing. as far as cancer goes surgical removal is always the best if it can be done to get the crap out as it is very rare that chemo alone will cure stage 4 colon cancer it has been done before but kind of rare. the surgery itself was not as horrible as i thought it would be. i was sore afterwords of course and imited in my activities for a while but now 6 months later i feel great, my last scans were good, my liver has grown back and best thing there is no cancer on it so if i had to do it over again i would. i am also on 6 months adjuvent chemo of 5fu and irenotecan i have 2 more treatments, and also have the hepatic artery pump that sends chemo directly to liver and i have 1 more treatment to that then chemo is over and im hoping it got all the micromets in my system. the interoperative ultrasound on my liver did not find anything else on the liver so that was good, but i guess the true test will be after chemo is over to see if anything grows back and if it does then i will do it all again. duke university had a video of actual liver resection surgery if you want to see before you go what it is like, i found it quite interesting to watch but it shows how they do surgery and what the cancer on the liver looks like. well good luck im sure you will do fine.
missjv
Dr
Dr David Geller (Gellar?) in Pittsburgh. Best doctor in the world. He is the head of surgical oncology of the Starzel Institute and is nationaly renowned. (spelling is off tonight, sorry guys)
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