Dang 1cm Liver Met!

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teacher2017
Posts: 275
Joined: Sat Sep 09, 2017 1:18 pm
Facebook Username: Lydia Clark

Dang 1cm Liver Met!

Postby teacher2017 » Thu Aug 16, 2018 8:02 am

Hi all-
I had a colon resection (no bag) last Sept. Went through 12 rounds of chemo (stopped Oxali at 7/8. Was staged at 3c thanks to 12/17 lymphs showing cancer. Finished in April- colonoscopy was clear and all bloodwork has been fine the entire time. Cea is currently 2.1. First scan showed 1cm liver met. MRI confirmed it. Dang it! So angry. Could it have been there from the beginning and was too small to detect? So I meet with my surgeon on Friday for options. Onc says they pop it right out and radiate. She said maybe a little chemo....so what did this surgery entail? What should I expect? I’m so sad to think I’m stage 4. I’m so worried.
50 yo mom of 2 (15, 18)
DX stage 3c - 12/17 LN. T3
8" colon resection 9/22/17
6.1cm tumor
folfox 11/17-4/18
CEA -1.4 11/8/17
Colonoscopy- 5/18-CLEAR!
Cea -1.8 6/18
Cea -2.1. 8/18
8/10/18 Stage 4
1cm met in seg.8 liver
Liver resection-9/18
Cea -1.5/1.2
Port removal-9/19
Cea -1.2 10/19
Cea -1.1 02/2020
Cea - 1.2 5/20
Cea-1.1 9/20
Cea- 1.3 2/21
Cea.1.3 5/21

Eleda
Posts: 328
Joined: Thu Dec 28, 2017 2:28 am
Facebook Username: adele Morgan
Location: Ireland

Re: Dang 1cm Liver Met!

Postby Eleda » Thu Aug 16, 2018 8:37 am

I think that's a very common fear in us all at stage 3 because we are only a scan away from stage 4 and I think it's so unfair to fight the hard fight only to b hit again,, ( russian roulette)
The one good thing is we have come so far n treatment that's caught on time can b repaired....
And because we are monitored so closely anything is spotted straight away so in one sence we are n a somehow or ironicly fortunate situation in relation to early detection,,
I don't think we ever stop worrying about reacurance, but we can only be as happy as we can because we can't change it only deal with it

Sending u positive vibes,,, it's not as bad as it could be so b positive,, and begin Ur new battle as u did the first one
It can b done :wink:

ADELE X
SWF, 47
Mom to 3 sons 6/8/12
Dec4th 2017 colonoscopy for minor intermittent rectal bleeding during Summer
CEA 4.4
DX T3 L3C M0 2.5/3 cm above AV.
JAN 3RD started 1650mg Zelda 2xday, with 28 radiation
Did tagamet 800mg daily and 75mg IV VIT C WEEKLY UNTIL SURGERY and
Tumor reduce by 80% 1 LN still remaining
TATME May10th, temp illeostomy
10/07/2018 CEA 3
MMR INTACT
Began FOLFOX July 10th
24/08/2018 Allergic reaction so next infusion lucovorin and 5fu
CEA 4
Second attempt with oxi aug 12th

Beckster
Posts: 438
Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2017 3:01 pm
Location: New Jersey

Re: Dang 1cm Liver Met!

Postby Beckster » Thu Aug 16, 2018 9:37 am

teacher2017 wrote:Hi all-
I had a colon resection (no bag) last Sept. Went through 12 rounds of chemo (stopped Oxali at 7/8. Was staged at 3c thanks to 12/17 lymphs showing cancer. Finished in April- colonoscopy was clear and all bloodwork has been fine the entire time. Cea is currently 2.1. First scan showed 1cm liver met. MRI confirmed it. Dang it! So angry. Could it have been there from the beginning and was too small to detect? So I meet with my surgeon on Friday for options. Onc says they pop it right out and radiate. She said maybe a little chemo....so what did this surgery entail? What should I expect? I’m so sad to think I’m stage 4. I’m so worried.



Hi...glad to see you are back up and running!

I have a friend that had his liver met "popped out" they did an ablation....it was an outpatient procedure and he was home the same day. Hoping it is the same for you. I have another friend that had one liver met and they did proton therapy about 3 months ago. He is now waiting to get another MRI to see if it worked. From listening to others, there are many option today unlike years ago. Sending positive vibes for your meeting tomorrow.
You got this!!!
57/F
DX:(CC) 10/19/16
11/4/16- Lap right hemi(cecum)
CEA- Pre Op (1.9), Pre Chemo (2.5)
Type: Adenocarcinoma
Tumor size:3.5 cm x 2.5 x 0.7 cm
Grade: G3
TNM: T3N0M0/IIA
LN: 0/24
LVI present
Surgical margins: clear
MSS
12/27/2016 - Capeox, anaphylactic
1/2/17 to 6/9/17- Xeloda
6/17,12/17,6/18,12/18,6/19,12/19,12/20,12/21 CT Scan NED :D
CEA- 6/17- 3.6, 9/17- 2.8 12/17-2.8, 3/18-3.1, 6/18-3.0, 9/18 2.8, 12/18 2.5 3/19 3.1 6/19 3.1 9/19 2.6 12/19 2.8 6/20 3.0 12/20 2.7 6/21 2.9,[color=#000000]12/21 2.7[/color]
Clear Colonoscopy 10/17, 11/19,11/21 :D

User avatar
Atoq
Posts: 412
Joined: Wed Oct 25, 2017 9:31 am

Re: Dang 1cm Liver Met!

Postby Atoq » Thu Aug 16, 2018 10:40 am

I am sorry to hear that you got also updated to stage IV. But 1 cm is a small metastasis and it sounds like they already have a good plan to bring you back to NEDville.

A big hug

Claudia
1972, 2 kids
Dx rectal cancer 10.2017
T3N2aMX (met left lung 8 mm)
Lynch neg
CEA 1.8
Neoadjuvant chemoradio Xeloda + 25x2 Gy
05.12.17 laparotomic surg. for blockage, colostomy
25.01.18 laparotomic lar, hysterectomy, ileostomy
05.03.18 core needle lung biopsy
07.05.18 CAT scan, lung met 11 mm
04.06.18 ileo reversal
26.06.18 wedge VATS
24.08.18, 31.02.19 CAT scan
12.09.18, 06.02.19 scope, CEA 1.6
19.11.18 scope
20.08.19 CAT, eco
13.09.19 scope, CEA 1.2
18.03.20 CAT, eco, scope, NED
29.11.20 CAT, NED
2023 NED

Snoop
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Dec 17, 2017 3:24 pm
Location: Indiana

Re: Dang 1cm Liver Met!

Postby Snoop » Thu Aug 16, 2018 3:05 pm

So sorry for you. I also was 3c & just finished my treatment about a month ago. This is so in the back of my mind that it’s not over. I am normally not an anxious person but I know going into that first CT scan it’s going to be really hard.
Good luck to you on whatever course of treatment you decide.

Prayers,
Snoop
57yo male
Diagnosis 11-2016 stage 1
Diagnosed stage 3c 11-2017
Surgery, 4 rounds of chemo
30 days of radiation
4 rounds of chemo
Clear CT
Port removed today! 8-6-2018

teacher2017
Posts: 275
Joined: Sat Sep 09, 2017 1:18 pm
Facebook Username: Lydia Clark

Re: Dang 1cm Liver Met!

Postby teacher2017 » Thu Aug 16, 2018 5:16 pm

Thank you for all your kind words. I’m depressed but I’m not beaten. There are some with worse problems than myself.

I’m doing research. My questions are about ablation of the liver? Is it a hard surgery? Recovery? Is it done to mets at or under 1cm? Not sure if they will resect. I know they will radiate it. What does that all mean?
50 yo mom of 2 (15, 18)
DX stage 3c - 12/17 LN. T3
8" colon resection 9/22/17
6.1cm tumor
folfox 11/17-4/18
CEA -1.4 11/8/17
Colonoscopy- 5/18-CLEAR!
Cea -1.8 6/18
Cea -2.1. 8/18
8/10/18 Stage 4
1cm met in seg.8 liver
Liver resection-9/18
Cea -1.5/1.2
Port removal-9/19
Cea -1.2 10/19
Cea -1.1 02/2020
Cea - 1.2 5/20
Cea-1.1 9/20
Cea- 1.3 2/21
Cea.1.3 5/21

Gravelyguy
Posts: 382
Joined: Thu Jul 05, 2018 6:03 pm

Re: Dang 1cm Liver Met!

Postby Gravelyguy » Thu Aug 16, 2018 6:04 pm

I had two very small liver Mets at dx. One was along the bottom edge and they resected it. The other was in deeper and they ablazed it as it was so small they didn’t want to take a big wedge out of my liver to get such a small tumor. So I think where it is located may dictate what kind of surgery you have.

I have heard ablation is pretty easy on you.

Hope this helps!

Dave
6/17 dx mRC t3n1m1 very low rectal tumor 2 liver Mets 1.3 cm and .9 cm

6/17 begin 4 rounds Folfox w/Vectibix
9/17 short course radiation
10/17 rectal and liver resection LAR with coloanal anastomosis (no rectum left)
11/17-3/18 8 rounds Folfox
6/18 still NED!! Takedown
8/28/18 still NED! CEA .8 new low for me
10/18/18 colonoscopy clear
12/12/18 CEA .9 still NED!
6/11/19 CEA 1.0
12/19/19 CEA 1.0 still NED!
6/17/20 CEA 1.1 still NED!
12/15/20 CEA 1.1still NED!
12/16/21 CEA 1.2 still NED!

User avatar
juliej
Posts: 3114
Joined: Thu Aug 05, 2010 12:59 pm

Re: Dang 1cm Liver Met!

Postby juliej » Thu Aug 16, 2018 6:13 pm

Yes, odds are it was there all along and just too small to see on a CT scan. The good news is they caught it very quick! Good thing you were being closely monitored!

Surgical resection is the gold standard for removing liver mets, but radiofrequency ablation (RFA) therapy is frequently used for a single small met, like in your case. It is one of the least invasive techniques so there's really no downtime. The ablation itself only takes 10-30 minutes and the entire procedure is usually finished in 1-3 hours. There's no overnight hospital stay.

You might have some fatigue or muscle ache during the next few days, but recovery is very rapid. They usually do a CT about a month later to see if the met is gone. if there is evidence the RFA didn't destroy all of the tumor, the procedure may be repeated. The good part is that the RFA destroys very little normal liver. And you're back to your normal life the next day, unlike a liver resection that requires a full-blown surgery.

Radiation is only done when the tumors in the liver are too large for treatment with ablation. Your's is very small so I imagine they'll do RFA.

I understand the news was upsetting but concentrate on them finding it before it got any bigger or before it spread to the rest of the liver. You got this! You'll be back to NEDville before you know it!

Juliej
Stage IVb, liver/lung mets 8/4/2010
Xelox+Avastin 8/18/10 to 10/21/2011
LAR, liver resec, HAI pump 11/2011
Adjuvant Irinotecan + FUDR
Double lung surgery + ileo reversal 2/2012
Adjuvant FUDR + Xeloda
VATS rt. lung 12/2012 - benign granuloma!
VATS left lung 11/2013
NED 11/22/13 to 12/18/2019, CEA<1

teacher2017
Posts: 275
Joined: Sat Sep 09, 2017 1:18 pm
Facebook Username: Lydia Clark

Re: Dang 1cm Liver Met!

Postby teacher2017 » Thu Aug 16, 2018 7:59 pm

juliej wrote:Yes, odds are it was there all along and just too small to see on a CT scan. The good news is they caught it very quick! Good thing you were being closely monitored!

Surgical resection is the gold standard for removing liver mets, but radiofrequency ablation (RFA) therapy is frequently used for a single small met, like in your case. It is one of the least invasive techniques so there's really no downtime. The ablation itself only takes 10-30 minutes and the entire procedure is usually finished in 1-3 hours. There's no overnight hospital stay.

You might have some fatigue or muscle ache during the next few days, but recovery is very rapid. They usually do a CT about a month later to see if the met is gone. if there is evidence the RFA didn't destroy all of the tumor, the procedure may be repeated. The good part is that the RFA destroys very little normal liver. And you're back to your normal life the next day, unlike a liver resection that requires a full-blown surgery.

Radiation is only done when the tumors in the liver are too large for treatment with ablation. Your's is very small so I imagine they'll do RFA.

I understand the news was upsetting but concentrate on them finding it before it got any bigger or before it spread to the rest of the liver. You got this! You'll be back to NEDville before you know it!

Juliej


Thank you for the information! Can you tell me if they do chemo afterwards?
50 yo mom of 2 (15, 18)
DX stage 3c - 12/17 LN. T3
8" colon resection 9/22/17
6.1cm tumor
folfox 11/17-4/18
CEA -1.4 11/8/17
Colonoscopy- 5/18-CLEAR!
Cea -1.8 6/18
Cea -2.1. 8/18
8/10/18 Stage 4
1cm met in seg.8 liver
Liver resection-9/18
Cea -1.5/1.2
Port removal-9/19
Cea -1.2 10/19
Cea -1.1 02/2020
Cea - 1.2 5/20
Cea-1.1 9/20
Cea- 1.3 2/21
Cea.1.3 5/21

heiders33
Posts: 363
Joined: Sat Nov 04, 2017 11:08 am

Re: Dang 1cm Liver Met!

Postby heiders33 » Thu Aug 16, 2018 9:18 pm

I don’t know yet if my 1cm spot is cancer, although it likely is. In any case, my onc does not recommend additional chemo. I meet with the surgeon tomorrow to determine whether I need a biopsy and whether I am an RFA candidate. We are in the exact same boat and hopefully we can both get to NED soon!
40 year-old female
May 2017: Dx rectal cancer T3N2M0
MSS, KRAS G12D
6/17: 28 days chemorad
9/17: LAR/loop ileostomy, CAPOX six rounds
3/18: reversal
9/18: liver met, resection/HAI pump, 11 rounds 5FU, 1 round FUDR
11/19 - local recurrence, brachytherapy, 3 weeks targeted radiation
12/21 - end colostomy

AppleTree
Posts: 267
Joined: Fri Mar 18, 2016 8:16 am

Re: Dang 1cm Liver Met!

Postby AppleTree » Fri Aug 17, 2018 4:37 am

If it makes you feel any better...I went to Stage IV last summer with a lung met. Had the surgery, DR wanted the follow up chemo, so I did that. My PET in July showed NED. I will take it...for however long it lasts. It seems like it is happening more and more these days. I think when they catch it so small, you have good luck.
Diag Feb 5, 2016 Age 45
3 cm tumor 5 cm from verge
Radiation + Xeloda pills - 3000mg 5x week
3/14 - 4/16 - 25 sessions
Shrank just over 50% L nodes 0/13
Remove rectum with temp Ileo 6/17
Reversal 7/20 due to infection
Acute hepatitis August. Chemo cancelled
June to September 2016 - 58 days in hospital

2017
6/16, MRI shadow in lung
Pet - 6.6mm Met in Upper R lobe
7/30 VAT surgery Mass General/Boston
8/24 port
8/30 - 4/28 Folfox. 12 rounds
2018
June CT shows new lung Mets.
July/Oct PETs...CLEAR!

teacher2017
Posts: 275
Joined: Sat Sep 09, 2017 1:18 pm
Facebook Username: Lydia Clark

Re: Dang 1cm Liver Met!

Postby teacher2017 » Fri Aug 17, 2018 5:42 am

AppleTree wrote:If it makes you feel any better...I went to Stage IV last summer with a lung met. Had the surgery, DR wanted the follow up chemo, so I did that. My PET in July showed NED. I will take it...for however long it lasts. It seems like it is happening more and more these days. I think when they catch it so small, you have good luck.


Thank you for that! Can you tell what your plan of action is now? A scan every thre months? Do u have a port? I really want mine out!
50 yo mom of 2 (15, 18)
DX stage 3c - 12/17 LN. T3
8" colon resection 9/22/17
6.1cm tumor
folfox 11/17-4/18
CEA -1.4 11/8/17
Colonoscopy- 5/18-CLEAR!
Cea -1.8 6/18
Cea -2.1. 8/18
8/10/18 Stage 4
1cm met in seg.8 liver
Liver resection-9/18
Cea -1.5/1.2
Port removal-9/19
Cea -1.2 10/19
Cea -1.1 02/2020
Cea - 1.2 5/20
Cea-1.1 9/20
Cea- 1.3 2/21
Cea.1.3 5/21

teacher2017
Posts: 275
Joined: Sat Sep 09, 2017 1:18 pm
Facebook Username: Lydia Clark

Re: Dang 1cm Liver Met!

Postby teacher2017 » Fri Aug 17, 2018 2:25 pm

Ok I met with surgeon. He said it would be laparoscopic unless there was a need to open me up. He would resection it. But he did offer the pump which would have to be done during open surgery. Nothing is guaranteed and would require some maintenance and 6 months of chemo. I could also just do this resection and see if there is another reoccurrence...and if so then get the open surgery and the pump. I don’t know what to choose! Any suggestions?
50 yo mom of 2 (15, 18)
DX stage 3c - 12/17 LN. T3
8" colon resection 9/22/17
6.1cm tumor
folfox 11/17-4/18
CEA -1.4 11/8/17
Colonoscopy- 5/18-CLEAR!
Cea -1.8 6/18
Cea -2.1. 8/18
8/10/18 Stage 4
1cm met in seg.8 liver
Liver resection-9/18
Cea -1.5/1.2
Port removal-9/19
Cea -1.2 10/19
Cea -1.1 02/2020
Cea - 1.2 5/20
Cea-1.1 9/20
Cea- 1.3 2/21
Cea.1.3 5/21

teacher2017
Posts: 275
Joined: Sat Sep 09, 2017 1:18 pm
Facebook Username: Lydia Clark

Re: Dang 1cm Liver Met!

Postby teacher2017 » Fri Aug 17, 2018 7:44 pm

AppleTree wrote:If it makes you feel any better...I went to Stage IV last summer with a lung met. Had the surgery, DR wanted the follow up chemo, so I did that. My PET in July showed NED. I will take it...for however long it lasts. It seems like it is happening more and more these days. I think when they catch it so small, you have good luck.


Did they offer to put in a HAI pump?
50 yo mom of 2 (15, 18)
DX stage 3c - 12/17 LN. T3
8" colon resection 9/22/17
6.1cm tumor
folfox 11/17-4/18
CEA -1.4 11/8/17
Colonoscopy- 5/18-CLEAR!
Cea -1.8 6/18
Cea -2.1. 8/18
8/10/18 Stage 4
1cm met in seg.8 liver
Liver resection-9/18
Cea -1.5/1.2
Port removal-9/19
Cea -1.2 10/19
Cea -1.1 02/2020
Cea - 1.2 5/20
Cea-1.1 9/20
Cea- 1.3 2/21
Cea.1.3 5/21

heiders33
Posts: 363
Joined: Sat Nov 04, 2017 11:08 am

Re: Dang 1cm Liver Met!

Postby heiders33 » Fri Aug 17, 2018 8:27 pm

Hey teacher, I met with the surgeon today, although my appointment left much to be desired for several reasons and I will be getting a second opinion at MSK. Just want to mention that she said there are different schools of thought on chemo in this situation, and she recommends a short chemo regime prior to surgery, but she did not mention the HAI pump. I have only ever heard of people using the HAI pump when there is more than one met, but then I’m not as educated on this stuff.
40 year-old female
May 2017: Dx rectal cancer T3N2M0
MSS, KRAS G12D
6/17: 28 days chemorad
9/17: LAR/loop ileostomy, CAPOX six rounds
3/18: reversal
9/18: liver met, resection/HAI pump, 11 rounds 5FU, 1 round FUDR
11/19 - local recurrence, brachytherapy, 3 weeks targeted radiation
12/21 - end colostomy


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