Anyone know anything about Liver Cancer?

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Roast Beef

Similar situation here. My father's cancer started in the colon, they did a bowel resection and everything looked good for a year or two. It went metastatic to his liver and lungs. It's stage 4 terminal and it's only a matter of time now. He was only given 9 months to live, but that was 15 months ago. They now say maybe a year, year and a half. Who knows though.

Be sure then to get a colonoscopy on a regular basis. You are now considered a "high risk" for getting it since your father has it.

[Mccree]

My father has had it twice in the span of 10 years and is sill with us. He has had two fairly large surgeries to remove the tumors. My understanding that if it is the PRIMARY cancer and not a cancer that has spread, the success rate is better. It has been a long road but there is hope.

[BigBrodieFan]

Hey,

The lady who works with my mom in Canada was diagnosed with Stage 4 liver cancer about 18 months ago. She just decided she wasn't going to let it get her down (she is an incredible woman). She did the chemo and they shrunk the tumors, and she was okay for a few months. However, as they predicted, now the tumors are back. She is determined to shrink the tumors again. She goes to work every day if she isn't feeling too ill and she is planning a cruise. She just went to Disney World last summer for two weeks, and she is very active in her grandson's life. She is always smiling and positive.

Liver cancer is very aggressive and has a very poor prognosis, but EVERY illness is different for every single person. Although of course, none of us on this message board can give you an accurate diagnoses, we can certainly offer words of encouragement!

I truly hope that this is not cancer, and if it is I hope that your friend gets well. I will hope for the best for you and your loved one.

BBF

[BigBrodieFan]

Originally Posted by Save Us Sutter

My Dad lasted 31 days from the day he was diagnosed until the day he died last month. I was by his side every one of those days and nothing you read or nothing anyone says can prepare you. He had Hep C but somehow they had missed the tumor during screening.

Sounds like they may have caught your friend's pretty early though? From what I understand a transplant is the only way to survive, so perhaps that will be an option.

Good luck. I found it very helpful to vent at the world when I was going through it all. If you need someone to yell at, shoot me a PM. It does help.

Sorry about your dad.

[BigBrodieFan]

Originally Posted by Dion

My late father had it and died within 6 months of his diagnosis. Chemo and radiation is often used to shrink it and in my fathers case it didn't work. Wish I had better news for you.

Sorry Dion

[Ashartus]

Originally Posted by Clarkey

Does anyone know how large of a factor alcohol consumption is on getting liver cancer?

Alcohol consumption can certainly be a big factor; I don't have exact numbers on hand at the moment but it's one of the variables that researchers have to control in all the liver cancer studies I've looked at (mostly related to liver cancer from occupational exposure to chemicals in industrial facilities).

OP: There are a few different types of liver cancer, with different characteristics, so it won't necessarily be the same for everyone.

[Kipper is King]

I hope your dad can beat the cancer. Good luck.

A family friend was diagnosed 6 months ago and was told he had 6 months. From the sounds of it, he's doing pretty good and optimistic.

But because his was most likely caused by drinking he also has polyps in his throat (from drinking)which make it impossible to put him under anesthesia to do a transplant. They're supposed to be putting rings in his throat so they can do the surgery.

[TylerSVT]

Jesus, im only 23 and this #### scares the crap out of me.

How often do you guys get physicals and checks for this sort of stuff?

[Teh_Bandwagoner]

Originally Posted by Clarkey

Does anyone know how large of a factor alcohol consumption is on getting liver cancer?

My dad definitely put his liver through the ringer in his younger days. Basically it came to a point in his 20s where the doctor told him he had to stop drinking or die within 10 years.

So yeah I definitely get the sense that alcohol consumption makes a difference.

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by Clarkey

Does anyone know how large of a factor alcohol consumption is on getting liver cancer?

My dad was an alcoholic.

edit : And as I mentioned in a previous post, Liver cancer is what did him in.

[Knut]

Originally Posted by TylerSVT

Jesus, im only 23 and this #### scares the crap out of me.

How often do you guys get physicals and checks for this sort of stuff?

Get one before you turn 25. It establishes baselines for you. Then you should go every 5 years or so for a routine physical until you are 40. After that you should go on a more regular basis.

[TylerSVT]

Originally Posted by Hesla

Get one before you turn 25. It establishes baselines for you. Then you should go every 5 years or so for a routine physical until you are 40. After that you should go on a more regular basis.

Im thinking of going every year, my GF already does that. Not for intense stuff like colonoscopy but just blood tests etc.

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by Dion

My late father had it and died within 6 months of his diagnosis. Chemo and radiation is often used to shrink it and in my fathers case it didn't work. Wish I had better news for you.

A lot has improved in the past few years. Best of luck.

[Knut]

Originally Posted by TylerSVT

Im thinking of going every year, my GF already does that. Not for intense stuff like colonoscopy but just blood tests etc.

No doctor will do a colonoscopy on your until you are over 40.. same with a prostate exam .

As for blood work... doing it every year is overkill. I would go and do it once to see what they say... likely to come back 5 yrs later.

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by Hesla

No doctor will do a colonoscopy on your until you are over 40.. same with a prostate exam .

As for blood work... doing it every year is overkill. I would go and do it once to see what they say... likely to come back 5 yrs later.

I was told flax seed help? My grandmother died from colon cancer, and an aunt and uncle have had it. I have flax seed in my nightly drink (blender of bananas, blue berry, protein, flax seed, milk).

[wooohooo]

Originally Posted by Hesla

No doctor will do a colonoscopy on your until you are over 40.. same with a prostate exam .

As for blood work... doing it every year is overkill. I would go and do it once to see what they say... likely to come back 5 yrs later.

My friend had to do a colonoscopy every few years. His Dad passed from colon cancer so he's high risk. And he did the colonoscopy when he was 20.

[wooohooo]

So the news came back that it is stage 1 liver cancer. The size is about a grape, so hopefully signs are okay. They'll do a MRI and then meet with a liver cancer specialist. Fingers crossed... fingers crossed...

[Knut]

Originally Posted by wooohooo

My friend had to do a colonoscopy every few years. His Dad passed from colon cancer so he's high risk. And he did the colonoscopy when he was 20.

Sorry. I should have qualified that as someone with no risk factors.

[TheSutterDynasty]

Originally Posted by Phanuthier

I was told flax seed help? My grandmother died from colon cancer, and an aunt and uncle have had it. I have flax seed in my nightly drink (blender of bananas, blue berry, protein, flax seed, milk).

Probably the best correlate we have with colon cancer is red meat consumption.

Also, for all cancers the best prevention is being as lean as possible (without being underweight of course). Then follows regular exercise, lots of fruits and vegetables, a diet low in saturated fats, trans fats, sugars, and simple carbohydrates, and so on.

Edit: and yes, fibre is great too (which is what the flax seed is contributing). Especially of the insoluble variety. Soluble is good for your cholesterol, so it's all good! You'll be farting until you're 100!