I’m a 1st Generation Asian American and Dad was just diagnosed with CC
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Sorry you had to find us. I would take it as a very positive sign that you father qualifies for a resection. It’s the best chance of a ‘cure’ with CC. I had a resection over two years ago, and am still clean. This is a big surgery, but nio reason to expect your father couldn’t survive it. I’m around his age, and have serious cardiac issues, had several events during surgery, but survived with no damage done. The surgery is long (mine was 12 hours). Make sure you are completely comfortable with the surgeon and hospital, and the rest will be in the hands of God. Wishing for a good outcome for you and your father.
Let us know where and by whom your father is being treated.
Hello and welcome to our wonderful family. No one knows why or how CC comes about. It is scary and your feelings are normal, but as you adjust to this mystery and treatment begins for your Father, you will also relax somewhat as something is being done for him and the scare turns to fight. I am glad you found us as now you will not feel so alone in this journey. We have no proof that CC is hereditary and like Marion said there may have been 1 post out of hundreds of thousands that talked about it. Try not to worry about yourself, you are going to be fine and your father needs all your positive energy. It is good that the doctors feel they can do the surgery as that is the best route to go with CC. I also am curious as to where the treatment is taking place. Good luck to you and your father and please keep us posted.
Hi there,
Welcome to the site. Sorry that you had to find us all and I am sorry also to hear about your dads diagnosis. But I am glad that you have joined us all here as you will get a ton of support from all of us. We know what you are going through right now and you have come to the right place.
First off, it is normal to be scared about your dads diagnosis. I felt like that too when my dad was diagnosed back in 2008 with inoperable CC. Until then, I had never heard of CC and to say that his diagnosis came out of the blue is a huge understatement indeed. My dad was unable to have a resection or surgery of any kind, and as it turned out, he could not have chemo either. He had PDT as his treatment. Where about was your dad diagnosed and have you thought about seeking another opinion for him? If your dads doctor does not want to go ahead with the resection then another opinion would be something that you could perhaps look at. Where about in the US do you live? I am from Scotland and my dad was treated here in Scotland.
I agree with Marion that right now you need to focus on your dad and being there for him as he will need you there beside him through all of this. I was there with my dad throughout his fight and attended all his Gi apps, tests etc with him, and I know how much that will mean to your dad that you will be there with him. Please do not worry about the genetics of this and whether you will be affected by CC in the years to come. As Marion said, there is no evidence to suggest that this will be an issue for you. Please keep all of your energy focused on your dad right now.
I know what you mean about the sleepless nights, we here have had many of them. But you have done the right thing in coming here and seeking information, and the more informed you are the better you will be able to help your dad throughout this. So please, feel free to ask any and all questions that you have and we will all do what we can to help in answering them. And please keep us all updated on what is happening with your dad. We know what you are going through.
My best wishes to you and your dad,
Gavin
ello I…and welcome to our site. Diagnoses of this cancer is likely to evoke many emotions including the fear of a genetic predisposition. But let me assure you there simply is no scientific evidence supporting this thought. We have several thousand postings on this site and I can only remember one incidence in where two brothers simultaneously were touched by this cancer. Please, relax. Many people visit and re-visit Vietnam and yet there has not been a prevalence of CC reported within this population group.
For the present I believe it to be best for you to focus on your Dad and to support him in this stressful time. Where does your Dad live? Who will perform the resection if and when it is determined that your Dad is physically able to undergo the operation? Please, continue to reach out to the great members on this site. We are here to help you understand this disease and we are here to support you. Every one on this site has been touched by this disease in one way or another. We understand and we care.
I am sure for others to come forward and share their thoughts with you also.
All my best wishes,
MarionHi Everyone:
I recently learned and found this very helpful organization and online resource regarding Cholangiocarcinoma (CC). As of today, June 8th 2011, my father and I learned that he’s diagnosed with CC, after many blood and urine tests as well as Ultrasound, MRI, TC Scan, Endoscopy and ERCP. My father was a Vietnamese refugee (“The Boat People”) who left Vietnam after the Vietnam War and resides in the US since 1986. Not sure how he came about getting CC or the causes of this. I don’t think he was in the military but was living in Vietnam before, during and after the war.
Now that he is in his mid-70’s and been living in the US since 1986 and had no family history of any type of cancers. After the biopsy, our doctor whose also the digestive disease specialist suggests that we plan a resection surgery on him. The doctor and his team of specialists also wanted to make sure that my father is “well-ready” and that his heart and kidney are strong/healthy enough to undergo this invasive surgery. If this plan, doesn’t work, then the last resort is chemotherapy, which the doctor said this process has about 25% survival rate.
After reading several entry blogs from others with similar experiences, I’m getting very scared about this disease and the personal fear of losing my father to this lethal disease. Not only this – I’m also very concerned about my own health (although I’m a very healthy and lean male in my mid-twenties) and well-being and is worry if there is any possibly that I might also be prone to contracting this disease later down the road when I’m in my 50’s to 70’s. What are the chances that I could be affected by this disease because of genetics preposition(considering that father has been diagnosed with it)? Or am I just thinking crazy for “over-thinking” about this or my mind is playing sort of mind tricks on me. Frankly, I have had several sleepless nights over this and have been prescribed to Ambian to help me sleep at night. Please help me because I’m feeling very scared.
Important facts about me include:
1. I moved to the US from Vietnam in 1991 (at the age of 7)
2. I have been back to Vietnam twice to visit and everytime I visited, I always got vaccinated with Hep. A and also got my doctor’s prescribed antibotics oral medications for malaria and diarehea.
3. No family history of any type of cancerThank you for reading my entry and I look forward to hearing from you and your experiences. Also – please tell me what I need to expect and/or prepare, if indeed the worst is about to come after the resection surgery or the chemotherapy.
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