Anyone with Hepatocellular Carcinoma (Liver Cancer) want to share?

Posted by tinasantos @tinasantos, May 28, 2018

Hi! My dad, who is 78, has already been treated for Hepatitis C (almost 20 years ago) and was diagnosed with this huge mass/tumor in Feb/18 after abdomen pain and loss of appetite. He was referred to a hepatologist who suggested the hepatectomy. The surgery was successful, on March,16th and the mass removed was around 13 pounds. At the end of the surgery, no cancerous cells were found at the biopsy. The doctor recommended another consultation after 3 months.

Before this, in the beginning of this month (about to complete 2 months os surgery) my dad made an appointment to an oncologist (just to check). He asked for some blood tests and triphasic MRI. In the next days my dad started feeling the symptons again (loss of appetite, weakness, fever, shivering, abdominal pains) and returned to the oncologist to show the results. The oncologist said the tumor had came back (multiple small nodules) and that he would not recommend another surgery (because tumor would come back again) and that he was not eligiible for transplant because of his age.

After all this, the oncologist recommended the treatment with Nexavar (Sorafenib) and my dad will start it this week.

I'd like to know how to get Mayo Clinic's doctors second opinion since we're in Brazil and there may be another approachs to this abroad.
Also, it would be great if someone in a similar situation could share info here. I`m really worried because my dad is 78, is weak and depressive because of this, and we don't know how aggressive and effective is Nexavar.

Thanks,
Tina

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Liver Cancer Support Group.

Ethan McConkey, Moderator | @ethanmcconkey | Sep 1, 2019

Hi @malaysiamiri welcome to Connect. I'd like to introduce you to fellow Connect members @japv2001 @gmc454mnazl35ashma @bentrivercarla and @contentandwell, who have or have had liver cancer/lesions.

Back to you @malaysiamiri are you comfortable sharing more of your story?

malaysiamiri | @malaysiamiri | Sep 1, 2019

Ovarian cancer been treated past 3 years
I wonder how are they treated for the liver lesions

JK | @contentandwell | Sep 2, 2019

Hi @malaysiamiri and welcome to Connect.
I had cirrhosis and there were malignant lesions in my liver. I really never thought about what stage they were but I assume it must have been an early stage because they eliminated them with radio ablation and the following year I had a liver transplant.

Have your doctors indicated what the best treatment will be for your lesions? If they are still at a stage where they can be treated with ablation you can probably return home the same day. My ablation occurred late in the day and the lesions were on the edge of my liver making for a more difficult ablation so I did spend one night in the hospital. i did have severe pains the morning after I came home and was told it was due to having to inject fluid to separate my liver from other organs so nothing else would be affected. The pains were gone in one day.
Are your lesions connected with cirrhosis also?
JK

Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Sep 2, 2019

In reply to @malaysiamiri "Ovarian cancer been treated past 3 years I wonder how are they treated for the liver..." + (show)

@malaysiamiri, am I understanding that you have ovarian cancer that has now metastacized to your liver?

Lisa | @techi | Sep 3, 2019

In reply to @contentandwell "@gmc454mnazl35ashma I don’t recall exactly, it took me by such surprise, I was reeling. I did..." + (show)

Jk are you doing better? Since the transplant have you had anymore problems. A friend of mines had a liver transplant and hes been sick ever since. I have to go to the cancer clinic to see if mines are benign or cancerous but you would think with the labs they should be able to tell thar.

JK | @contentandwell | Sep 3, 2019

In reply to @techi "Jk are you doing better? Since the transplant have you had anymore problems. A friend of..." + (show)

@techi My transplant was in September 2016 and I have been doing great ever since except for a couple of unrelated issues.

I hope your lab results come back good, and that the lesions are benign or that they can be as easily eliminated as mine were.
JK

Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Sep 10, 2019

In reply to @erinal "Thanks a lot for the time you spent and for your advice! The medication should be..." + (show)

Hi @erinal, I just wanted to let you know that I am thinking of you and your family.

erinal | @erinal | Sep 11, 2019

In reply to @colleenyoung "Hi @erinal, I just wanted to let you know that I am thinking of you and..." + (show)

Hi dear Colleen, thanks a lot! My father started treatment with Nexavar yesterday at home. After many consultations with oncologists we decided to try the medication, because he felt depressed without taking anything. Just hoping God makes him strong to react positively to the treatment. Crossing my fingers and praying!!! Hugs

bobhuddleston | @bobhuddleston | Nov 24, 2019

In reply to @colleenyoung "Hi @gene1234, I'm bringing you into this more recent discussion about liver cancer. From reading your..." + (show)

I have just begun taking Lenvima for my liver cancer. I have had two small lesions removed in Jan 2018 and a spot removed in April of 2017. A new 2mm spot was found about a month ago. The problem with transplant surgery is they my liver is too healthy at this time. Any comments or suggestions? This drug does some weird stuff to you

Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Dec 1, 2019

In reply to @bobhuddleston "I have just begun taking Lenvima for my liver cancer. I have had two small lesions..." + (show)

Hi Bob, I'm bringing @m1b1r9 and @gene1234 into this discussion in the hopes that they can share their experiences with the drug Lenvima (lenvatinib).

@bobhuddleston, what side effects have you been experiencing?

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