Widespread cancer spread on liver

Oh Bluebell51

Its such a difficult day to see your scans ! It remains in our minds after all these years and to be honest I describe it as a fruit bowel of tumours in my mums liver . Obvious to even the untrained eye ! No need to send off to get clarification from other scans for my mum .

However going straight to chemo was in hindsight a brilliant option as she responded well . I am not pretending to understand this part but it’s due to the rate of cell division and chemo working on fast diving cells . So being larger and responsive was actually a combination that worked for her . The next scan was much more encouraging . Due to the microdisease it took two years to get her to a centre of excellence for the liver . There are around seven in the country . You can identify them as they are the same units that do liver transplants . They are highly skilled surgeons who are able to go in a bit more aggressively. To put that into context they were able to remove 73% of her liver . A big hit but it regenerates.

It will be ten years this week since her much longed for operation and she remains clear . So hold onto that ! 
Your team sounds supportive and not ruling it out . My mum’s actually disappeared off the scan but that is not the requirement for surgery you only have to get sufficient shrinkage! 
I am also going to tag in Francesst to discuss her husbands treatment . He has used a different chemo but doing well . So it might be helpful to see how they tailor individual plans and ongoing treatment  

My own mum got her bowel op about a year after diagnosis. 
 
We are most certainly here for you and your family as you find a way forward .

take care ,

Court 

Hi Nicola, it's such a tough journey isn't it. My husband was diagnosed back in November, stage 4 with liver and peritoneum mets, and offered palliative chemo as inoperable. We were devastated as we were hoping for an operation. Court was one of the first people who reached out to me, and I took comfort from her Mum's story, and that an operation wasn't always the path. In 4 months my husband's tumours had much shrinkage. His bowel tumour hardly visible, pelvic tumours barely visible and liver tumours almost half the size. He's now had 12 cycles of Folfoxiri and Avastin, and awaiting his next scan, although his Oncologist has moved him to maintenance chemo as he was so pleased with the first response. We're hoping for another good scan and that some day he'll be operable, but we are now looking at this as being an illness needing long term treatment. We didn't look at the initial scans, my husband was not keen and he was also clear he didn't want a prognosis, he just asked them to do their best for him, which we think they have. Between chemo we make the most of the days, certainly has changed our outlook and not taking anything for granted. Love Frances xxx

Dear Court,

Thank you for your reply and positivity.  This has massively cheered me up today.  I live in Wiltshire and I think that there is a liver hospital in Oxford, which is near us.  Your mums story is truly amazing an inspirational.  She is clearly a lady that loves life.

Dear Frances,

It is so encouraging to hear your husbands progress and heart warming.  Although I am that the journey is tough.

I went out for a lovely walk this morning and I felt blessed to be walking in the sunshine.  I think that I will be viewing life through a different lens now.  

I have a supportive husband, a 23 year old daughter and a 9 year old son at home.

from

Nicola

So glad to read you got out for a walk . Someone is in the process of sending me some research on the benefits of moderate exercise during treatment and post surgery ! 
Mums approach was definitely “ best foot forward “

She is currently working on small stepping stones through her flowers !

Good to hear there is a liver unit near you . It’s always best for a liver surgeon to review your scans post chemo . They know best what they can achieve ! Her liver is an odd shape but it has functioned well !

Hope your family is ok too ! Have you an appointment to start chemo ?

Take care ,

Court 

I am meeting with my oncologist on 17th June. I am guessing that chemotherapy will start soon after then. 

I will certainly keep you posted.

Hi Bluebell was just reading your story and just wanted to say that going for daily walks for me, has been an absolute life saver! I had my surgery in Jan and physically, I have never felt better. I am 46 with 2 young boys but have never really bothered with fitness, until the dreaded diagnosis. I feel grumpy if I miss a walk now! All the best to you and for your meeting with onc coming up. Take care 

Thank you Rose2020. In this beautiful weather we are having at the moment,  it is the best to be outside and walk. Xx