My husband was diagnosed with bowel cancer which has spread to the liver in January. He had his opp to remove the bowel tumour and we are waiting on the results from the biopsy.
The liver mets are 10mm and 6mm and in segments 7 and 4a - both in a place that can be operated on atm. One is near a vein and if met becomes too big surgery won’t be possible but they aren’t concerned about that happening - I sometimes wonder how they can be so sure (worrying).
They have explainwd that it is standard practice for secondary liver cancer to do surgery first to deal with the primary tumour (which has now been done) then chemotherapy to ensure that if there are any cells lingering that don’t show up on a scan that they get them first rather than moving to surgery and then doing chemo as by the time that starts with time to recover then if there was anything there it might have started to grow a tumour in another place and that wouldn’t be great obviously.
So, they do chemo and what that will do is either 1. shrink the tumours 2. stay the same size 3. get rid of them completely (because they are so small that may well happen) or you don’t respond to that chemo at all and they get bigger (but hopefully that wouldnt be the case).
If 1 or 2 happens they then move to surgery after. If 3 happens they hope that will be it and they won’t return. They say this can happen and cure but sometimes they do return - just can’t be 
From everything I read it says that surgery gives the best possible cure and so I think we really want them to shrink and then operate to be sure we get him cancer free.
I was just wondering if anyone had been in a similar position? Have you experienced the mets disappearing completely and not returning or did they eventually come back and if so was it in the same place? What was your treatment options then? I worry they come back and surgery isn’t possible! I just want him to be ok and want this out his body!
Im also worried about spread in the time it’s taking for surgery recovery, bowel biopsy and chemo to start… anyone been in this position would appreciate your thoughts.
Also, how did you react to chemo and how long was it?
Thanns
Hi Ziggybay
I‘m sorry you’re both having to face this journey. Your questions are perfectly understandable. I’d encourage you both to focus on the immediate, the operation to remove the two lesions. Once they’re out, they can do no more harm.
If it helps, even should a fresh outbreak of cancer occur in the liver, further surgery may be possible. And there are loads of other possible options too. Bowel cancer uk is a great resource for finding out what can be done.
If you look at my profile, you will see that I’m about to have the 4th op on my liver. I can’t pretend it’s a pleasant experience, but recovery is quicker than you might imagine. And as Court reminds us, the ability of the liver to re-grow is astonishing.
The overwhelmingly common advice you will find here is to live in the moment. And Macmillan has plenty of resources to help us get better at doing that. Mindfulness activity. Meditation. Distraction techniques. There’s enough for you both to manage right now without the what if’s, so please keep coming back here for the support that will help carry you through. And I hope you like this photo of a snowflake that I took only today
Hi
Im 76 now so fully retired.I found with the 14 day cycle that days 4-9 were the worst .I play golf but gave up for 6 month during treatment.I’m back playing twice a week now. Chemo is not a walk in the park but I was able to socialise etc but I will warn you that if your husband likes a glass of wine it did taste very strange
.I managed regular walks during chemo so you can keep fit.
Hope this helps.
Macc
Hi I had sigmoid colon cancer removed jan 21 clear for 12 months, then rise in CEA per scan it was back in my liver 2cm and two lymph nodes deep in my stomach I was gutted.
I has 6 rounds of folfori and it was stable they said they couldn't see it on my liver and nodes had reduced from 7mm to 5mm I have been on maintenance chemo and having 5fu had a scan two weeks ago still stable and nodes reduced again.
So there is hope I know it's hard but stay positive.
Good luck 
