First Post

Pete had a MRI and a catscan of his chest. Yesterday Pete’s oncologist said the cancer hadn’t spread, but there was no shrinkage of the 2 tumors. The radiologist and oncologist decided the next plan of attack is radioembolization. The radiologist gave us a phamplet on Therasphere that is a type of radioembolization.

The oncologist also told us that he won’t give Pete anymore cisplatin because it is doing a number on his kidneys. (this is when the radioembolization is completed) I asked if the radioembolization would do anything to his kidneys, and he answered no.

According to the phamplet once the procedure is completed we don’t go back to the Mayo for a month. After a month they take another MRI to see if the procedure did any good.

For us this is good news because maybe we get a break from the Mayo and doctors.

Has anyone had this procedure done?

Thank you so much for your reply. I read your reply to Pete. He does lie down now and then on his right side. It gives him relief.

His MRI is Jan. 12. We will just wait and see. Our son is here with us now. His wife and 4 year old are at her parents house in Jacksonville. Father and son are enjoying each other so much. I sure hate to see him leave on the first to return to N. Carolina. I am praying that Pete will be strong enough to travel to N. Carolina in the spring to welcome a new granddaughter. Life does go on.

I found copies of test taken at our local hospital. They took a CT Abdomen and pelvis with contrast. I don’t know if you want me to type the entire report, but there is a sort of summary titled IMPRESSION. This is what is says.

Abnormal liver highly suspicious for a large heterogeneous infiltrating mass involving most of the posterior segment of the right lobe of the liver. The involved area measures approxiate 11cm craniocaudal by 8 cm by 9cm AP. Finding highly suspicious for a hepatic cellular carcinoma. There is also thrombus within the portal vein which is almost entirely occluded. This could be bland thrombus or tumor thrombus.

Large amount ascites. Splenomegaly.

Mild diffuse thickening of the gull bladder wall. No biliary dilatation.

There are numberous bilateral simple renal cysts as well as bilateral indeterminate hyperdense exophytic nodules. The indeterminate lesions are likely comples benign cysts but are not fully characterized on this exam.

Small nonobstructing bilateral kidney stones.

Today is Christmas and I am looking through records. We celebrated with son, wife, and grandson on Thursday because Pete had chemo on Friday.

Our son and family traveled from North Carolina to Florida. My son came armed with alternative type treatments. He doesn’t want to lose his dad. I love him for helping me find anything to save his dad. I have told our son about this forum and how I am trying to arm myself with information. Thank you all for being there.

I will ask for a report on the first catscan. Dr. Sella did talk about going after the smaller tumor after radiating the first. How long have you been living with intrahepatic cc? I read on this forum that intrahepatic is not as common as extrahepatic. God Bless to you also.

Pete does have the intrahepatic CCA like you. I don’t have a copy of the original catscan. We were told he had an 8 cm tumor in the liver that was shaped like a spider. A biopsy was taken at the Orange Park hospital. The slides were sent to the Mayo for them to test. They guessed the tumor origioned in a bile duct inside the liver. He had a catscan at the local hospital. When we first went to the Mayo they did another catscan in addition to an mri. One of these showed spots on his thyroid. He had a biopsy on his thyroid and the results were negative. In order the enter the trial he was on they had to rule out that the cancer had not spread to other parts of the body.

We were told by the surgeon named Dr. Winn that a transplant was ruled out because of the portal vein involvement. He even said if they could radiate all the cancer out of the portal vein that a transplant was still out of the question. I had the feeling that once it gets into the portal vein it is almost impossible to destroy all of it.

I will now ask if the reason he isn’t a candidate for a transplant is because his cancer is intrahepatic. I will let you know what the reply when I get the answer to that question. Thank you for your post.

I forgot to tell you that so far there is no lymph node involvement. I did ask that question once. Pete had to take many test to see if the cancer hadn’t spread to be eligible for the trial. He is now off the trial because his platlets fell 2 times.

The big question is if the tumor has shown no sign of growth or has shrunk. He will have an mri in 3 weeks to answer that question. The catscan he had wasn’t good enough to answer that question.

I wish you all a Merry Christmas and that 2012 is good to you. Lets hope our loved ones are here to enjoy another Christmas. We will do our best to enjoy the holidays with our son, pregnant wife, and 4 year old grandson. They live in North Carolina and will join us tomorrow. Our nearest goal is to travel to North Carolina in April to greet our first granddaughter.

Thank you all for your replies. You have all given me lots to look into. My medical knowledge can fit on my little finger. I am trying to learn all that I can and this site has been a godsent for me.

I now have more questions to ask. I definately need to get smarter and try to understand all these medical terms. I usually go with a list of questions and leave with more questions.

Last Thursday we met with a Dr. Sella who is a radiologist. He talked at length about a type of radiology that goes through the leg and targets the cancer cells on the liver. He even talked of targeting the cancer in the portal vein to relieve some of Pete symtoms. He told us Pete has a large tumor on the right side of the liver and a smaller one that is sitting on the boundary line of the 2 lobes. First he will do a test drive to see that the poison he targets the tumor with doesn’t decide to leak out somewhere else. If the trial test drive works, then another day he would do the deed. I don’t remember the medical term he used to describe this procedure.

Friday we talked with the oncologist. At this point in time he said he would give Pete the traditional chemo and when it quits working then the next thing to do is the radiation. But he said he would consult with Sella. I like the idea of different docs having a “pow wow” and deciding what is the best thing to do because my husband and I know zero.

But the big question I have is why he isn’t a candidate for a transplant? Is it because of medicare or because he isn’t strong enough to withstand all the treatments needed before a transplant is necessary. I also want to tell them I am aware of Dr. Chapman and the trials he and the Mayo completed. I just want some answers.

Thank you again for all your replies. I feel the pain you all have gone through and the hope you give to others. You don’t know how many times I have read threads and just cried my eyes out. One big lesson I have learned is that you can’t give up. One must fight the good fight. I myself must learn all that I can so that someday I can tell myself I never gave up on my best friend of 44 years. Thank you again for all your advice.