Secondary Liver Cancer

VH · New User Joined: 11 May 2005 Posts: 8

My mum had surgery for colon cancer 3 months ago. Her latest blood test shows she has raised cancer cells in her liver now. She is awaiting a scan. She seems to think that nothing will show up on the scan and that she hasn't got liver cancer. Any ideas anyone?

ElaineC · Regular Joined: 17 May 2005 Posts: 22 Location: UK

I had a colo rectal tumour removed 3 months ago and unfortunately, have secondaries in my liver. All my blood tests were normal on liver function and it wasn't detected on the CT scan. The surgeon just saw something he thought needed further checking when I had the first bout of surgery. It was finally diagnosed with an MRI scan.

I go into hospital tomorrow for a liver resection on Thursday. I wouldn't like to offer an opinion on whether your Mum's got liver cancer or not but from what I have been told and what I have read myself it isn't the automatic death sentence it once was. Tremendous advances have been made in liver surgery even in the past 5 years.

Obviously I am very scared but pleased that mine is operable and many of them are so if she does turn out to have lesions on her liver the prognosis isn't as bad as it once was. Best of luck and think of me on Thursday please.

VH · New User Joined: 11 May 2005 Posts: 8

I'm so sorry to hear your news. Its an awful thing to have. I hope all goes well on Thursday and please let me know how you get on. Thanks very much for replying to me.

nadine · New User Joined: 14 Nov 2005 Posts: 2 Location: UK

Hello Elaine, I am so sorry to hear that you have had colon cancer and also have had liver secondaries. I wondered how you were recovering from your liver resection? My brother in law, 45, has recently been diagnosed with colon cancer and has had that tumour removed. No cancer was found in lymph nodes although he has two tumours showing on his liver which his colon Dr. believes will turn out to be liver secondaries from his colon cancer. Michael (my brother in law) is going to see Professor Davidson at The Royal Free in London tomorrow for his first consultation. We are very much hoping that he will be operable. Where did you go for your resection and generally how are you fairing now? Michael recovered very well from his colon surgery he is back at work only after 2 weeks! He is also eating normally. He tells us he feels well. Any information you can give me would be so gratefully received. I am thinking of you and hoping that you have made a good recovery. Please post back and at least let me know that you are OK. Thanks for taking the trouble to read this post.
I hope that the other user's mum is OK too.

Good luck and with all good wishes. Nadine
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Brother-in-law, 45, diagnosed 5 weeks ago with colon cancer and likely liver secondaries. Any help greatly appreciated.

ElaineC · Regular Joined: 17 May 2005 Posts: 22 Location: UK

Hi nadine. Your brother in law has made a remarkable recovery from his colon surgery. I was still in hospital after 5 weeks had gone by. I presume he didn't have to have a stoma?

I went into St James in Leeds where the operation actually took place two weeks later than I posted on here. It was cancelled on the day of the operation which was terribly distressing for me. But the operation itself went well and I have had no trouble at all from it. I go to Leeds next Monday to have a series of scans which will indicate how I am progressing, or not.

The major problems I have now are with the aftermath of the colon cancer I seem to veer between diahorrea and bowel blockages. The latter are awful and need hospital admission. 5 times since May in fact.

Good luck to your brother in law. I had 6 tumours and was operable, it's also in my lymph glands and I am still here to tell the tale. Sometimes wonder how:-) I have also spent a wonderful week in July at the Bristol Cancer Care Centre and am receiving acupuncture and medical herbalist treatment. I would recommend all of these to anyone suffering from cancer.

nadine · New User Joined: 14 Nov 2005 Posts: 2 Location: UK

Hello Elaine,

Many, many thanks for your quick reply! Michael did not have a stoma. They managed to resect his colon without the need, luckily for him. I spoke to him tonight and told him about you. He has been lucky as his bowel function feels completely normal. He is also eating normally, I know I cooked him a Sunday roast and he scoffed the lot! With pudding too!

Why did they delay your operation by a couple of weeks? That must have been awful for you and your family.

So far as Michael's colon goes, he really has been much luckier than you, to date at least. Why do you keep getting diarrohea and blockages? Is there a problem with the 'join'?

Michael has today had his first consultation with Professor Davidson who has indicated that it is their intention to resect his liver, subject to an MRI scan. Professor Davidson has said that he believes, from the information to hand, that Michael's liver is operable. Fingers crossed.

Michael will have his MRI within the next few days and has already had a further consultation with Professor Davidson scheduled for 2 weeks time.
Things move pretty fast don't they?

Professor Davidson has indicated to Michael that it is up to him whether to have chemo before surgery or after. However, the Professor has indicated that should he choose to have chemo now, that would delay surgery until at least February. If he chooses to have surgery prior to chemo he hopes to schedule his operation for early December. Michael understands that there is so far no proven evidence to suggest that chemo before or after is best and he has decided to get the tumours out asap! Therefore he will probably start chemo in the New Year, if he chooses to.

Did you get a choice of whether to have or not have chemo? If so, did you do the chemo and what did you feel like? Sorry to ask you so many questions but you are a real person who has been through what Michael is about to go through and he would be really grateful if you could share your knowledge.

Michael met a man today at The Royal Free who is 70 and has had his liver successfully resected recently after suffering colon cancer 5 years ago. This gives hope to us.

If you don't mind me asking, how old are you? Again, I am sorry to get personal and I will understand if you don't reply.

I wish you all the best for your scans next Monday and I really do hope that your treatment has progressed successfully and that you can have a little more hope every day.

Again, I can't thank you enough for your quick reply. Take care. With all good wishes, kindest regards. Nadine
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Brother-in-law, 45, diagnosed 5 weeks ago with colon cancer and likely liver secondaries. Any help greatly appreciated.

ElaineC · Regular Joined: 17 May 2005 Posts: 22 Location: UK

Of course I am not a doctor but I have done a lot of reading and research into both forms of the cancers I've had and it sounds to me as if Michael's chances are excellent, nadine.

My operation was cancelled because the person before me took far longer than anticipated. I was all gowned up and ready to go and didn't even have the calming effect of a pre-med. They don't give me those because I am so calm:-) Hmm if only they knew. And facing major surgery is far easier than facing a class of unruly teenagers anyway:-)

I don't mind you asking my age. I'm 52. Apparently colon cancer is far more common when you're over 50 although I think that mine actually started when I was 49 & I disregarded the symptoms for lots of reasons such as being diabetic (you get more problems with your bowels) & having had rectal bleeding which had been investigated and found to be the high fibre of my diet (I've been a vegetarian for 30 years & have never even tried a cigarette BTW) causing small blood vessels to break.

I've had chemo (5FU) after my liver surgery. I had a couple of sessions after the bowel cancer op but they were stopped as soon as they discovered it had gone to my liver. I had the op for the liver in May and began chemo in late July as they like to give you time to recover from the surgery. It's 24 weekly sessions of which I've had 16. I've missed one through going on holiday & two through illness including today when I have just had the worst diahorrea of my entire life. But as chemo goes it isn't as bad as those for other cancers because bowel cancer is not as aggressive as others, obviously witnessed by the fact that I am still alive 3 years after I first had symptoms.

If Michael would like to email me he can do so at elaine@3-c.coop

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