Bummed: Colon cancer has metastasized to my liver!

Posted by tinad @tinad, Jul 6, 2020

I’ve been cancer free for 4 years and now it has metastasized to my liver!!! Ugh! I’ve had the liver resection, stomach resection and gallbladder removed only to get news halfway through chemo (2nd time around) that there may be disease at the liver surgical site and chemo is not working. My blood work does not indicate any tumor activity but I’m scared and anxious that the cancer has in fact survived the chemo blast. I’m active, I eat well, I’m not over weight, I don’t have a family history of colon cancer, I haven’t had any polyps since the original one went haywire...I feel defeated by something that was never on my radar to being with! I want options.

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

Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Jun 8, 2023

In reply to @giacinta40 "Have you try holistic approch . Vitamisn c i fusion i am looking in that beside..." + (show)

@giacinta40, Vitamin C infusions are often talked about on social media as a potential treatment for cancer. It's not a proven treatment yet, although it continues to be studied.

Here's more information from Mayo Clinic:
- High-dose vitamin C: Can it kill cancer cells? https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cancer/expert-answers/alternative-cancer-treatment/faq-20057968

Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Jun 8, 2023

In reply to @susan159 "Have you looked into the HAI pump? It pumps chemo directly into your liver and since..." + (show)

@susan159, it would be helpful if you were to post your experience about the hepatic artery infusion (HAI) pump chemotherapy in this discussion to help multiple members.

How are you doing with the pump? What are the side effects like?

Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Jun 8, 2023

In reply to @admedical "I am learning that you have to be your own advocate when it comes to this..." + (show)

Here's more information about HAI pump at Mayo Clinic

- Hepatic artery infusion pump chemotherapy spares livers and saves lives https://www.mayoclinic.org/medical-professionals/cancer/news/hepatic-artery-infusion-pump-chemotherapy-spares-livers-and-saves-lives/mac-20539443

And a specific discussion about it with other members here:
- Hepatic artery infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) pump for liver mets https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/haic-pump-for-liver-mets/

pajarito | @pajarito | Jun 23, 2023

In reply to @tinad "I have not tried vitamin c iv. I do take Metformin, doxycycline, Mebendazole, Lipitor and supplements." + (show)

Are you being treated by an oncologist? How did you get the Rx for those items?

tinad | @tinad | Jun 23, 2023

In reply to @pajarito "Are you being treated by an oncologist? How did you get the Rx for those items?" + (show)

Care Oncology assigns an oncologist to you and they use Pharmacy Solutions to fill the RX. The meetings are virtual. I also have my oncologist locally that I’ve seen since diagnosis. Before starting with Care Oncology I discussed the option of adding their protocol to my existing treatment and he gave his blessing.

juandugo | @juandugo | May 20 7:18pm

In reply to @tinad "I have not tried vitamin c iv. I do take Metformin, doxycycline, Mebendazole, Lipitor and supplements." + (show)

Thank you for your information.
Has the use of Mebendazole been effective for you?

sandra38 | @sandra38 | Jun 29 9:07pm

I also am currently on lonsurf so far bI guess it is going ok. As far as symptoms it is hard to say as I have been on it only 3 sessions . Also, suffering with very bad Edda in my legs and pelvis area . Swollen beyond belief . Doctors thinking of draining the pelvis . Legs another issue needed to remedy . That all in all has diverted attention away from any side effects

tgoz | @tgoz | Jul 3 8:53am

In reply to @colleenyoung "Here's more information about HAI pump at Mayo Clinic - Hepatic artery infusion pump chemotherapy spares..." + (show)

A point of interest. A good friend of mine in the late 1990s had colon cancer that mets to his liver. Both lobes with over 18 tumors. He was part of the clinical trial for the liver pump at MSK.
He lived over 16 years and his quality of life was pretty good. He was given 6-18 months to live when he was diagnosed. The pump was a miracle for him.

Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Jul 5 10:49am

In reply to @sandra38 "I also am currently on lonsurf so far bI guess it is going ok. As far..." + (show)

Welcome, @sandra38. Do you also have stage 4 colon cancer? I'm so sorry to hear about the swelling and edema. Have you had the pelvic area drained?

martin77 | @martin77 | Jul 7 6:38am

Very interested to read about experiences of colorectal liver cancer as that's just what I've been diagnosed with, having had a great 15 months since coming off chemo in March 2023 following a stage 3 colon resection in November 2022. I found the Mayo forum very helpful during that time and no doubt will find it so again in the coming months. It's frustrating at present feeling 100% fit with no symptoms yet knowing something is wrong inside. Having just finished a week's cycling in France of 305 miles I'm hoping a good level of fitness will come in useful during what I understand to be a complex operation to remove 3 small spots identified by recent scans. I guess early diagnosis via scans represents a huge improvement.

Next step, a pre-assessment meeting at my hospital in Cambridge UK prior to an operation in late July / early August. A discussion about HAI pumps will be on the agenda.