Hello Everyone, diagnosed in May with IHCC
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Hi Laurie,
I didn’t see your reply to my post until now. I am doing very and in remission for now. I took my radiation treatments at City of Hope in West Hills with Dr. Yampolsky. The targeted beam technology is amazing. The last 2 weeks took a lot out of me. Heavy fatigue. I consulted with Dr. El-Khouhiery about the treatment prescribed by my oncologist and ended up using a hybrid of the two. It turned out to be very effective. Keep me posted with your progress. I’m cheering for you.
Hi Bighorn 67,
I recently joined the discussion board and was reading through everyone’s stories. Yours caught my eye because I was also treated at USC-Keck ,but by surgeon Dr. Kulkarni… also a gifted surgeon. I do not have IHCC but Perihilar Cholangiocarcinoma. I placed my story under the “Introduction” Discussion Board if you want to read it… It’s near the top. In short, in October about 80% of my liver was resected over 2 different surgeries. I had all clean margins but for a small focus on the radial margin of the posterior duct. Microscopic cells may still be lingering… So I am on a bit more aggressive chemo regimen of Gemzar and Xeloda for 4 months, and then will follow with 6 weeks of radiation along with still taking the oral Xeloda. My oncologist is Dr. El-Khouheiry, is he is also at USC-Keck. He was one of the clinical trials designers and lead authors of this particular regimen called S0809, so I know I am in good hands. He has had to tweak the dosage of Gemzar a bit because during my first 2 cycles my WBC kept dropping too low. I just started my 3rd cycle and hopefully he has found the magic number for the dosage so I can have the Gemzar 2 weeks in a row as designed.
If you read this, I was wondering how you are doing now that all your treatments are over? How did you handle the radiation?
I hope you are on a clear road to recovery!
Best wishes,
Laurie
To make a long story short,
Had jaundice in April, went through the standard tests which led to an MRI that revealed a 5x6cm mass blocking the bile duct. Had an MRCP to install a stint and get a brushing of the tumor which revealed Cholangiocarcinoma. Definitely a gut punch, pun intended. Went to USC Keck Center for resection which was successful in removing all of the tumor with clean margins. Bile duct had to be rebuilt. Dr. Aaron Ahearn at Keck Center is a gifted surgeon. After 8 weeks of recovery, I started chemotherapy with Xeloda and 6 weeks of radiation therapy at City of Hope. Radiation was necessary because the cancer had spread to one lymph node which was removed along with half of my liver. 5 more weeks of Xeloda to go and initial treatment will be over. So far, blood work looks good. No red flags. I am grateful for this website and the wealth of information it provides.
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