Liver Cancer.

[david small]

I have just been told by my sister that she has cancer of her liver. She was told two year's maximum before succumbing.

My question is does anyone else have any experience of this sort of situation?

[rowanwitch]

Only in nursing liver patients and working in a cancer centre as an admissions coordinator., but is she being treated at a local general hospital or a specialist cancer centre?   It can make a difference especially if there is a chance being included in clinical trials.  Also 2 years is an average so she could do better ( or worse)

[david small]

Thank you rowanwitch. Local hospital. No treatment as of yet. 

[newmodarmy]

Sorry to hear that. Is it inoperable then? Someone close to me had cancer in the liver but it was caught fairly early and she had about a third of her liver removed followed by precautionary chemotherapy, and so far it's all clear.

 

[10ClarionSt]

Yep. In Sept 2022, a member of my family was given 12 months after a similar diagnosis. He died in Sept 2023. Not good. 😡

[Cloverjo]

I'm sorry to say that my mum had cancer in her liver. She had 70% of her liver removed, and seemed to be ok. Unfortunately, she was later found to have it in her brain as well, which is what killed her.

My very best wishes for a more positive outcome for your sister. 

[davebro3]

A friend had liver cancer which had spread before it was diagnosed & affected his esophagus making eating difficult. His wife nursed him at home for 3 months until he died. The hospital provided a special bed and nursing support provided palliative care.

[Buenchico]

The prognosis will depend very much upon the stage which the cancer has already reached.  See here:
https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/liver-cancer/survival

However some people seem to be able to defy the odds.  My uncle, for example, was told that he'd only got a few months to live at the age of 58.  He died 25 years later, at the age of 83, of something completely different.  (That wasn't liver cancer though.  He had prostate cancer).  Similarly, I was given an incurable Stage 4 cancer diagnosis five years ago, with the statistics suggesting that I shouldn't be here now but I still seem to be.

Equally though, the fact has to be faced that some unfortunate people succumb to cancer very quickly.  For example, AB's much-missed Mamyalynne passsed away just three months after being diagnosed with cancer and the wonderful Woodelf died just three and a half weeks after being given his diagnosis.

So statistics can only ever provide the broadest of guidance.  There seems to be no way of knowing who'll defy the odds and live for far longer after their diagnosis than expected or who'll sadly end up at the other end of the statistical spectrum and die early.

[david small]

Thank you all for your replies. Unfortunately about five years ago she had only 2-3% of her liver working. I assume that the percentage will have increased. They mentioned removing the tumour with keyhole surgery, and then chemotherapy. But awaiting blood tests to verify how much of her liver still functions. It does not look good. Sqad bless him, didn't think she would have much of a chance several years ago.

[jourdain2]

Hello.  OH's late wife died of liver cancer. She had about 2 years, but it was less than that.

They were living in France. 

He organised a huge family party and that Summer week was a wonderful occasion.  That might be something to go with?

 

 

 

[Peter Pedant]

(That wasn't liver cancer though.  He had prostate cancer).

oh dear minstream AB

this is serious - 2 y sounds bout right

[rowanwitch]

Referral to a specialist liver unit is likely if surgery is an  option,  but they may try chemo before that,   Either way it is going to be a difficult road ahead.