chemo has started

I agree with this Marion! I was talking to Methodist, and they told me they had a woman with intrahepatic CC, and she had been turned down for transplant at 3 centers. She went there with no hope. The agreed to list her for an extended donor. 3 years later, she is still doing very well, and cancer free!
They also do SO much testing there, I went through it all. If you don’t pass a test, you don’t get listed.

Additional information
Appears that physicians within certain institutions set their own criteria by loosely following the criteria for Hepatocellular cancer transplants.
It is a team effort including transplant surgeons. Patients are evaluated on a case by case basis. Criteria include positive response to therapy and non-rapid disease progression.
So, it appears that each case is different and each patient is decided on individually.
Hugs,
Marion

From what I know, some places will consider a transplant if it is completely contained to the liver.
When I first learned I have CC I had mets in the left and right lobes. Thankfully chemo has cleaned it all up, and now I might be getting a new liver any day!

Thanks of course to Helen and AMMF for the above links.

Lisa….When I spoke with Dr. Javle (last year at ASCO) he mentioned liver transplantations for intrahepatic CC patients. I in turn told him that Medicare in Texas will cover only extrahepatic patients and, as we know, Medicare pretty much sets the standard for Insurance reimbursement.
My concern was the shortages of liver donations and the high demand for such a transplant- he felt it was possible to do with liver from older patients, but we did not talk about a liver transplant such as the one Tiff is to receive. The criteria for Tiff’s acceptance then must vary from the original Mayo protocol because; as far as I know, the Mayo protocol does not include intrahepatic CC patients.
I will try to bring back some information when speaking with some of the specialists while attending ASCO this year.
Also I am curious to see as to what the exclusion criteria entails?
Will try to find out. If anyone else has some answers please, share with us.
Hugs,
Marion

I hope that your MIL’s chemo goes well for her Rose and remember to keep us posted on how everything goes for her. And great to hear as well that her team at Iowa are going to look at her again re possible surgery after some chemo. Fingers are crossed for some great news here!

That’s a pretty hefty exclusion list isn’t it Marion! But at least you guys in the US have the possiblility of transplant for CC as a treatment option. Here in the UK it is not done at all for CC and as far as I know it is not even up for consideration yet. I know that a small team from King’s in London I think it was were over at Mayo lately observing the Mayo team and protocol at work but who knows what if anything will come from that. And I recall someone from Dublin telling me that they had a transplant as well but not sure about the rest of Europe.

Hugs to you both,

Gavin