Anyone waiting for liver transplant and diagnosed with liver cancer?

Posted by parrot53 @parrot53, Nov 8, 2022

Good Day All,
I am wondering if anyone is in a similar situation. I have cirrhosis with good liver function. I was diagnosed with HCC and the tumor was treated with ablation. It has not recurred, at least not yet. It is my understanding that there is a 70% chance there will be more cancer due to a Cirrhotic liver. I am currently status 7 on the transplant list for a liver as I need to wait the required six months to gain MELD score exception points for the HCC. I feel very fortunate to have this time as this has been going on for the last three years now. However, I am worried about the cancer coming back and also unsure about a transplant if it does not come back. Just wondering if any of you are in or have been in a similar situation and have some encouragement. Thanks for listening.

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@rockofhudson

Im in the same boat. Waited 2 1/2 years for the tumor to grow to 2CM and had the ablation done back on May 9th, first follow up MRI looks good although they now see some abnormality in my Pancreas. Going in for a biopsy on the 19th of this month. Oncologist said it could be nothing and a possible result of the Portal Hypertension.
Im still working full time despite some common Cirrhosis related issues and the beta blocker fatigue. I want to stay in denial about it all and just continue on as normal. This past year has been a real slap in the face. I was thinking id coast into retirement and see how things go and if necessary get my TX at some point closer to 70 or not at all. Im 63M now. I think we are both fortunate as others have said, that we have some time to plan and accept. My current meld is 13, im told at the end of the 6 months that goes up to approximately 28-30 if nothing changes.
As an old friend told me we are in the bonus round. Ive lived with this hanging over my head since i was 26 when i first discovered i had HEP-C. Lots of living has been done in the past 37 years. My hope is ill do well with the transplant and feel fortunate that i have that option. Not the retirement gift i was thinking about but it truly is a gift right?

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Hi @rockofhudson (love the username by the way), Sometimes retirement has different plans. Have you had a liver biopsy done before? Any questions before for your upcoming appointment?

REPLY

Hi Colleen,
Yes I've had several years ago.
Now they are doing quarterly MRI's since the discovery of the tumor 2 1/2 years ago.
They biopsied that to confirm it was cancerous but no other liver biopsies have been done for years.
Thanks
Larry

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@rockofhudson

Hi Colleen,
Yes I've had several years ago.
Now they are doing quarterly MRI's since the discovery of the tumor 2 1/2 years ago.
They biopsied that to confirm it was cancerous but no other liver biopsies have been done for years.
Thanks
Larry

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@rockofhudson, any update? How are you doing?

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