Chemosaturation therapy

[dudette]

Hello everyone,

I'm a newbie to this forum and so far have really enjoyed reading the exchanges of you guys. Very informative - and unlike other colon cancer boards mostly full of hope!

Because I am currently looking into the option of getting chemosaturation therapy (in Germany) I was hoping that someone here on this board has experience with this method. I would like to find out about side effects and severity of treatment. I'm not even sure that I qualify for this therapy (my liver is really struggling at the moment) or whether my health insurance will cover the costs (€34000) but I am in research mode and trying to find out as much as possible.

I'm not doing chemotherapy because I am trying to get my immune system to do its job. But because with chemosaturation the majority of cytotoxic agents get filtered out of the blood (at least in theory) I find this to be an option.

Your input is much appreciated.
Temi

[Sams wife]

Is there no HIPEC there. I'm not even sure if that is the right one but someone will tell us if it isnt.

[Cb75]

Hi,

It sounds like you are talking about the HAI pump. It is used in the US and Canada. Some get great results...

I can't help more beyond that. I'm looking into something similar for the lung....

cb <3

[dudette]

Thanks for your replies.

But it's neither HIPEC nor HAI.

It's like a pimped version of TACE. I.e., while during TACE the liver gets flooded with a cytotoxic agent which remains in the liver, the chemosaturation adds one step by pumping the blood out of the liver into an external filter system, cleans the blood from chemotherapy and returns it shiny and new to the body.

It is a fairly new procedure - from what I know it's only come up during the past 3 or 4 years.

[JENNJ]

I looked into Delcath chemo saturation therapy (that's who develops it) but as far as I understand it was still in clinical trials I believe? Since my Dad has tumors outside the liver he wasn't able to be considered for it.
Katy

[tigerpaw]

It sounds a little like the regional chemotherapy offered by the Medias Clinic in Germany. Some Norwegian patients go there. However, I don't think this treatment has much documentation. Seems right that it should be offered in a research setting.

[CRguy]

.... it's neither HIPEC nor HAI.
It's like a pimped version of TACE. I.e., while during TACE the liver gets flooded with a cytotoxic agent which remains in the liver,
the chemosaturation adds one step by pumping the blood out of the liver into an external filter system, cleans the blood from chemotherapy and returns it shiny and new to the body.
It is a fairly new procedure - from what I know it's only come up during the past 3 or 4 years.

This may be what you have referred to ... ?????
from a 2012 newsbite First liver cancer 'chemo-bath' in the UK
to a functional German Oncology clinic Medias Klinikum
where it has also been referred to as regional / loco-regional chemo ..... as tigerpaw mentioned

Sorry, I do not recall anyone here having had this type of treatment, but please keep us informed with any new info !!!

Best wishes
CRguy