Liver Progression Only

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hopefulandstrong
Posts: 58
Joined: Fri Apr 19, 2019 7:11 pm

Liver Progression Only

Postby hopefulandstrong » Tue Nov 19, 2019 11:47 am

As I scan the board, I notice that there are number of us who are seeing progression confined to the liver. I am BRAF and PPC3 positive, which means folfox and folfiri don't really work for me. Except maybe -- outside the liver. After three rounds of folfoxfiri, scans showed growth in the liver, but nowhere else, and some hot lymph nodes outside the liver were resolved. I'm told that we can have multiple mutations in different tumors. Wondering what it is about the liver that keeps the disease confined.

Any thoughts?
54, female
1/8/19 DS Stage 4 with Liver Mets; Successful Colon Resect
2/18/19 Started Folfox -- CEA 70
5/8/19 - BRAF mutation -- switch to Triplet Therapy: Encorafenib, Binimetinib, Cetximab
6/13/19 - CEA dropped from 214 to 22
8/29 - CEA jump to 30-- scans reveal liver spread, though still confined. triplet therapy abandoned; some concern about PIC3 mutation interfering with BRAF treatment
9/1 - 10/4 -- no treatment
10/4 -- folfoxfiri to stem further progression; pump placement in January (hopefully)

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ginabeewell
Posts: 565
Joined: Wed Oct 24, 2018 10:30 am

Re: Liver Progression Only

Postby ginabeewell » Tue Nov 19, 2019 12:06 pm

When I was diagnosed, I remember hearing that colon cancer was slow moving in the colon but would explode when it got to the liver thanks to the rich blood supply. I also remember reading that liver was the most likely recurrence site, which I assumed at the time was driven by the same reason, though I can’t be sure.

It’s one of the reasons I decided to get the HAI pump, it just felt like if I could get the liver under control, I had a better shot overall!

Maybe others can weigh in on why progression is more likely there than in other areas of the body. I’ll be interested to hear if there’s more to it than proximity and blood supply.
49 YO mom of twins (11) lucky stepmom of 16/19 year olds
9/17/18 DX stage 4 CRC w inoperable liver mets CEA 931
Currently NED!

Join me on a lookback of my journey via my Strive for Five on Substack here:
https://ginajacobson.substack.com

All treatment details here:
https://www.weareallmadeofstars.net/col ... nt-journey

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AlexandraZ
Posts: 178
Joined: Fri Aug 23, 2019 8:25 am

Re: Liver Progression Only

Postby AlexandraZ » Tue Nov 19, 2019 12:14 pm

I think Gina is right. The liver is the most common site of metastasis, and for many people it never spreads beyond the liver. Then there are people like my boyfriend, who had it all over both lungs too when he was diagnosed.
Boyfriend 28yo dx February 2019, CEA 70,480
Stage 4 CRC with multiple mets to liver & lungs
KRAS, NRAS, BRAF wild type, MSS
12x FOLFIRI + Vectibix
September 2019 CEA 210, 60% reduction in size, chemo break!

hopefulandstrong
Posts: 58
Joined: Fri Apr 19, 2019 7:11 pm

Re: Liver Progression Only

Postby hopefulandstrong » Tue Nov 19, 2019 12:43 pm

That sounds right. My onc says that that liver is vascular, has sugar in it -- cancer just loves it. I feel lucky that it's confined, and still hopeful that I can get the HAI pump installed in January -- while still doing system for by BRAF and PIC 3 mutations. Seeing a new onc who specializes in these mutations tomorrow. Hoping for the best.
54, female
1/8/19 DS Stage 4 with Liver Mets; Successful Colon Resect
2/18/19 Started Folfox -- CEA 70
5/8/19 - BRAF mutation -- switch to Triplet Therapy: Encorafenib, Binimetinib, Cetximab
6/13/19 - CEA dropped from 214 to 22
8/29 - CEA jump to 30-- scans reveal liver spread, though still confined. triplet therapy abandoned; some concern about PIC3 mutation interfering with BRAF treatment
9/1 - 10/4 -- no treatment
10/4 -- folfoxfiri to stem further progression; pump placement in January (hopefully)

AlexandraZ
Posts: 178
Joined: Fri Aug 23, 2019 8:25 am

Re: Liver Progression Only

Postby AlexandraZ » Tue Nov 19, 2019 1:20 pm

Yeah it's definitely super positive that it's confined to the liver!!

Keep us posted!
Boyfriend 28yo dx February 2019, CEA 70,480
Stage 4 CRC with multiple mets to liver & lungs
KRAS, NRAS, BRAF wild type, MSS
12x FOLFIRI + Vectibix
September 2019 CEA 210, 60% reduction in size, chemo break!

Amarie123
Posts: 47
Joined: Wed Nov 14, 2018 6:46 am

Re: Liver Progression Only

Postby Amarie123 » Tue Nov 19, 2019 2:45 pm

I was told it’s mostly due to shared blood vessels between the liver and intestines. So it may go there but not always somewhere else. My metastes was found in my lungs first, which is slower growing than in my liver but it limits treatment options, So if they can keep it confined to the liver that is a good thing for sure.


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