Hi. I fell off a ladder 5 weeks ago and a week later had an MRI to check if there might be a puncture. No puncture but a couple of lesions on my liver. Two weeks ago a consultant phones me (by appointment) and said that it looked like secondary cancer of the liver, and that I would have a biopsy to confirm it so long as I was happy with chemotherapy .I had the biopsy Tuesday, which to my surprise was painless although it was in a tricky location so 5 samples had to be taken.. I was told I'd get the results probably week after next. My question is what will happen after the results, presuming the consultant was right. Do they normally try to find the primary cancer? Can they tell if that's too late anyway since it's circulating through the blood (as I understand). I gather that the prognosis for secondary liver cancer is generally not good, but I'm 79 and had a good life. Right now other than still recovering from the broken ribs and a bit of wobbly from Parkinson's I feel fine, no symptoms.
Thanks
Dweller
Hi there ,
Firstly welcome to the Macmillan online community although I’m really sorry that you’ve had the need to find us.
I hope your biopsy results come back clear but if a diagnosis of secondary cancer is the result I should imagine your consultant or oncologist will arrange for further tests & scans to try & locate your primary. Sometimes, for various reasons it isn’t possible to locate the primary & this is called CUP (cancer of unknown primary) There’s more information on this & better explanations right here on the Macmillan site, if you go to the main menu & click on A to Z of cancer & type in secondary liver cancer it will take you to lots of information including a link to unknown primary’s. I hope this helps a little.
Nicola
Hi ,
Oh that sounds promising! Was the surgery concerning your bowel cancer or your liver? Although I’m sorry about your diagnosis I’m pleased they’ve located your primary as that gives them all the information they need to treat you. I’m actually from the anal cancer forum & we have a couple of members that have had secondaries in their liver, some have had surgery, some have had chemotherapy I think this is possibly dependant on size & position of the liver mets. I hope you get news soon regarding a definite treatment plan.
Nicola
I have everything crossed for you that a treatment plan is put together soon. Let me know how you get on.
Nicola
