Laparoscopic Liver Resection for Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma.

Judy….I will answer this here and then contact you privately as well to talk off line. Right now, I’m VERY busy being grammy to a 3 and 3/4ths year old and a brand new little one born this Monday. We’ve been babysitting the 3 year old…..what a handful! But, we’re loving every minute of it. His parents will pick him up today if all goes well…..so I will have more time to talk after he’s gone back home. It’s been a busy three days. )

For your questions:
1. I am doing fine. I just had my one year check up at Mayo on March 5th and all the scans were clear as well as blood work (though the blood work was just general stuff…no marker tests).
2. Oncologists, as my local oncologist pointed out, HATE to use the word “cured”. Thus, I can’t say either that I am cancer free. I guess the preferred term is “NED”…aka “No Evidence of Disease.” Only time will tell.
3. Yes, I used a local oncologist for my chemo, but go back to Mayo every 4 months now (was every 3….we’re stretching it out little by little), for the scans. That is my choice because the scans are better quality and they have people who do a better job of reading them.

I will email you privately and we can hopefully set up a time to chat once our little grandson goes home.

Julie T.

Judym,

I am aware of the Mayo article you mentioned about the treatment of a blood cancer with the measles vaccine. I have not asked about it as an option for cholangiocarcinoma. At the time of my surgery, all “visible” signs (macroscopic ) of the cancer were gone and no microscopic signs of it were found in the surgical margin or the 6 lymph nodes they removed. So, there really was nothing to talk about. Until there is an trial for CC for use of a vaccine like the one mentioned, I doubt that it would be used in an adjuvant situation either, esp with negative nodes, margin, vascular and neural pathways. At my Nov visit to Mayo, I tried to bring up questions about recurrence and his reply was that if it does come back, there are things “we” can do. He knew I was worried (duh). At this last visit in March, I asked about some new meds that there were rumors were coming onto the market in the next 6-12 months. He did mention one, which I now can’t remember, but reported on at the time. But, I had indeed forgotten about the measles vaccine they tried on the blood cancer that worked so well. I will try to remember when I go back in July to ask him about that….if there are plans to do a trial with it for any other kinds of cancer. I do remember that story well though….and it was a big deal in the news at the time.

Daisy, I did Gem/Cis….the usual chemo for CC. I did ask about radiation, but my Mayo doctor simply said, “There’s nothing to radiate.” I have wondered about that…..but went along with it. It seemed to make sense at the time. Julie

Daisy, Yes, I did do adjuvant chemo….6 rounds from late April until the end of August last year. My Mayo oncologist said it was up to me and wasn’t pushy about it…but when pressed….he said if I were one of his family, he’d encourage me to do the chemo after surgery. My Mayo surgeon wasn’t quite so layed back about it…..she told me flat out that I WAS doing the chemo….that they don’t do this surgery without me doing the chemo. Didn’t really matter what she said at that point…because I’d already made up my mind to do the chemo anyway.

Julie

When I had my surgery last year (Feb 2014), my oncologist mentioned that the surgeon had said she was going to do my resection laprascopically, and he was surprised that it would even be possible. We went into the surgery knowing that the surgeon might convert to an open surgery, but she did the whole thing laproscopically. The left lobe was removed with the 5 cm tumor inside, no tranfusion, 7 hours, and home in three days. I understand now just how still more unusual doing this intrahepatically really is