Dad diagnosed with bowel cancer and CT scan has shown probable spread to liver. Feel lost.

Hi Robinho  and welcome to the board. I think at the moment you need to remember that thoughts are not facts and bowel cancer is very treatable nowadays. My CT scan showed something on my liver but a subsequent MRI confirmed it to be a harmless cyst - they are called haemangiomas and very common although most people go through life not knowing that they have them unless they have a scan. 

Bowel cancer has a lot of treatment options even if there was confirmed liver spread and there is lots of support and advice on here for you both. Try to focus on getting your dad as fit and healthy as possible for his treatment and look at some of the positive stories on here - I was diagnosed in 2016 and I’m still ‘no evidence of disease’.

Stay away from google and let us know how the meeting goes!

Take care

Karen x

Hi Robinho 

Welcome to the forum . It’s such a horrible feeling when you are confronted with a loved one’s mortality. 
However bowel cancer spread to the liver does have lots of treatment options . I will link in a booklet for you which can be very helpful .

Lots of different approaches but most patients go straight to chemo to stabilise the spread and prevent further spread . If this is achieved other options can sometimes open up .

My own mum has been in and out of treatment for over 14 years . The first two were the most intense . She is in her 80 s now and still in treatment and coping with it . 
In terms of prognosis it’s entirely up to your dad if he actually wants to know . My mum wanted to know treatment approaches and fully complied with guidance but asked them not to give her prognosis. She said this at the start of the meeting .

Stage 4 stats are slowly edging up but a couple of things to consider . It’s a five year backwards glance that excludes lots of very elderly patients who can’t tolerate treatments or select not to . We have tapered my mum’s approach now to include her quality of life more . It also does not include the new treatments yet that have just opened up in the last few years . In fact covid allowed some of this and my mum is getting a single treatment she would not have been able to get outwith it . At the end of the day you are always a statistic of one as it depends how you as an individual respond to chemotherapy. My mum had a significant spread but a very good response to treatment .

I found the first few meetings the worst as it was taking us away from our normal safe lives but after that mum got into the swing of treatment tough as it was and still presses forward . Life developed a new pace and after around a year we all got more familiar with it . It’s still tough for her but treatment can take some people to a more healthy position than when they started treatment so it can do a good job . 
I also encourage you to look after your own health . Speak to your GP if required . Your dad needs you well . 
take special care ,

Court 

bowelcancerorguk.s3.amazonaws.com/.../TreatingAdvancedBowelCancer_BowelCancerUK.pdf

Linked in the above booklet . Worth a read x 

Hello, I’m in the same position as yourself, my dad started his first lot of chemo yesterday. He found out end of March , so his has also spread to his liver. They have advised where it is in his colon is operable so he’s been given 12 rounds of Folfox and they will can him after 6 to decide if they carry on or operate. I’ve been a complete emotional wreck myself juggling being normal for my dad and hiding it from my children. Having this chat and being able to read advice really has helped me. It’s just the unknown that is the worst, your mind will work overtime. But I wish you and your dad all the best , scary times but just take one day at a time 

 Kerry17   I used to imagine the chemo now getting to work and shrinking those cells after each infusion . 
You are doing great and it’s a full time job in the beginning to prevent your thoughts going to the worst possible outcome . However he is now in active treatment and the process begins . 
Hope the side effects are few and it works really well for him . 
Take care ,

Court 

I started my Bowel Cancer journey back in 2018, It was Stage 3 and I had Surgery followed by Chemotherapy. 18 months later I had a 30mm tumour ablated from my liver and was back at work within a week the most important thing is to get anything that is not right identified asap and to be very careful where you get your information from I would recommend only using this site or cancer research UK, good luck

I am in the same poition at the moment, my dads has spread to his liver and lymph nodes :( x

oh no, hopefully they can sort a treatment plan for him. My dad started his first round of chemo last Friday we’ve just got to hope it does what it needs to do. If ever you need to chat or vent I’m here as talking has really helped me

thank you. im feeling so alone right now, so a chat would be great!