Discovery Channel - Living With Cancer

MJo · 05-07-2007, 11:42 AM

Did anyone see the three-hour program last night (Sunday) on living with cancer. Lance Armstrong, Leroy Seivers and Elizabeth Armstrong were on the show. I was interested in the technique of cancer ablation that killed Sievers lung cancer tumors. Has anyone on this board ever discussed cancer ablation with their doctor?

KellyA · 05-07-2007, 01:27 PM

Hey there!

I did see the program last night. I was curious about that procedure also- haven't heard of it. What did you think about the show overall?

Love, Kelly

Sheila · 05-07-2007, 02:47 PM

I watched it too. I like the point of going where the most technology is for your treatment....it hit home for me. Also the fact that the more money, the better opportunity for treatment...only in America .....that needs to be changed. But it is like that for everything in the medical industry.

It is supposed to be on again tonight at 8 central on the discovery channel/

lightsteve · 05-07-2007, 02:57 PM

i have seen discussion about RAF as applied to liver tumors that are mets from BC. this link discusses what RAF is, very briefly.

http://www.clevelandclinic.org/general/rfa/rita.html

i know there can be complications due to the location of the tumor that sometimes make RAF inappropriate, but for others have heard it is a pretty easy process.

steve

Lolly · 05-07-2007, 03:18 PM

Yes, great program! I couldn't quite stay awake for the whole thing, but recommend it.
BTW, it's Elizabeth Edwards as the third guest.

<3 Lolly

IRENE FROM TAMPA · 05-07-2007, 04:26 PM

and just connected so much with what they were saying. Everything that they said just mirrored what I always think or say. I guess you have to be going through it yourself to truly understand what goes through a person's mind.

I have had Radio Frequency Abalation to my liver and was very curious about this doctor at John Hopkins. I was trying to find his name on site today but could not. I am interested in talking to them to see if it is possible to abalate the tumor that I have in my nodes. My surgeon at Moffitt told me it was not because it is now systemic and I am not really sure about the area where they are. I would like to speak to someone else to get their opinion.

If anyone can remember the name of that doctor, will you pass on to me. I did record the show, so maybe I can get more info once I watch again.

I was amazed at how Leroy is now stable and hopefully something else will come along for him.

If you did not see last nites show, I think it worthwhile catching it tonite.

RobinP · 05-07-2007, 04:43 PM

Thanks, Irene, for recommending the show. I will tune in tonight.

Joe · 05-07-2007, 05:06 PM

The following is an email exchange with a prominent RFA physician. I deleted his name but will supply it to those who request it.

RFA - Lung Tumors

Dear Dr.
I am the webmaster for the HER2 Support Group . Our organization is composed of breast cancer patients diagnosed with HER2 breast cancer. Several members have had RFA for metastasis to the liver with excellent success.

Tonight on a Discovery Channel program on Living With Cancer, I was surprised to see that RFA is being used to treat tumors on the lungs. Have you ever treated metastatic lung tumors? We have several members diagnosed with them and wish to advise if this is an effective alternative treatment.

Joe,
I have ablated breast cancer metastases before with some success. I believe there are a subset of breast cancer patients that have just a few spots of disease ( e,.g oligonodular mestastases) either in liver or lung or both that benefit from local therapy such as ablation or stereotactic radiotherapy. I have enclosed a paper on lung RFA from our institution. Lung RFA will be featured on a PBS series Healthy Mind Healthy Body in late June and early July. I will be prominently featured on the piece.
Best regards
Damian

Paper on Lung Tumors:

www.her2support.org/rfa.pdf

Warmest Regards
Joe

Chelee · 05-07-2007, 06:53 PM

Irene, I am not sure if I have the spelling right...but I think that doctors last name was; "Georgitis". Maybe you could google it and see if it comes up? I am not sure if that helps...but I tried.

Chelee

momdeeco · 05-07-2007, 08:47 PM

Does anyone know if the show will be aired again?

Karen Weixel · 05-07-2007, 09:07 PM

I think it is suppose to air again tonight.

Karen

Mary Jo · 05-08-2007, 04:23 AM

Thank you Irene for recommending the show to us. Me and my husband watched it last evening. We DVR'd it. It was really good and if nothing else teaches us all something. And that is................cancer is so unpredictable............giving time tables to us shouldn't be.............one never knows. My gosh, I was flabbergasted at Leroy's story. Who ever would have thought his tumors would be gone. Amazing and show's that only one person is in control. God! He'll lead us down the road and what will be will be. A wonderful story and I think we cancer folks are some lucky individuals. I'm not sure why I feel that way, but I do. Cancer has taught us so much - brought us together with some wonderful people and teaches us more about life than anything else. Don't get me wrong - would I have volunteered for this almost 2 years back. NO WAY!!!!!!!!! But it's the path I was put on and it has been a rewarding, teachable journey for me. I've been blessed in so many ways since cancer and enjoy life more than ever.

Love to all my her2 friends,

Mary Jo

AlaskaAngel · 05-08-2007, 10:28 AM

I have been listening to Leroy's commentaries for quite a while, both on NPR in the mornings and on his blog, and I have gotten quite a bit out of it as he has such a marvelous straightforwrd way with words.

I don't identify at all with Lance's feelings much, but I do think it is possible that exercise, especially consistent exercise, keeps the toxins flushed out of the body so that circulating tumor cells don't get the chance to really attach and grow somewhere, and maybe that is why he stays so cancer-free.

I felt closer to the lovely woman with pancreatic cancer, maybe because she is not a celebrity but more like most of us, and I was very glad they included her in the program.

I was really looking forward to seeing the third hour where Elizabeth would speak... and that was when the power went out here. So... can anyone tell me what they got from the third hour?

It was unfortunate that the program showed only people who were not diagnosed early, and didn't show people who have chosen not to do chemotherapy at all. That implied that everyone with cancer does have chemo, as if there is no other sane choice. (Those interviewed were not people diagnosed in the early stages.) Hopefully they provided more balance in the last hour of the program? Did they ever interview anyone who was diagnosed in the early stage of cancer or who had never done chemo?

I also was left feeling that by not interviewing or showing people and families who are coping with the more difficult terminal stages of cancer, the program was sort of out of touch, even if it was more hopeful. I know this is being blunt but maybe they need to do a sequel called Dying With Cancer.

AlaskaAngel

MJo · 05-08-2007, 10:47 AM

Dr. Christos Georgiades is an Assistant Professor of Radiology & Surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Prior to following a career in medicine, Dr. Georgiades earned a Bachelor’s in Engineering from the University of Texas and also a Master’s and a Ph.D. degree in Radiological Sciences from the University of California. He earned his M.D. degree from Boston University in 1997. He then completed a year of Internal Medicine training at Beth Israel-Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard School of Medicine. He received his Diagnostic Radiology and Interventional Radiology training at Johns Hopkins Hospital.

Dr. Georgiades practices in all areas of vascular & interventional radiology including vascular, oncologic and gynecologic interventions. His specific clinical and research interests include oncologic interventions, i.e. liver chemoembolization, radiofrequency ablation and the development of new delivery methods for anti-cancer drugs

Brian · 05-08-2007, 06:05 PM

Just to let you know, my wife, Lisa, has had two ablation treatments to tumors in her liver. Both have been quite successful. The first was done in 2003 and her liver remained clean for 2.5 years when some of the spots that had been previously ablated cam to life again. She went through the procedure a second time in 2005 and her liver has been clean ever since.

We had the procedure done at the UPMC Presbyterian Hospital liver transplant unit in Pittsburgh. The procedure was performed by Dr. David Geller. He was a wonderful, capable and proficient surgeon. I would recommend this procedure to anyone, as the tumors are completely destroyed by the procedure.

Lisa also had a large lung tumor which initially disappeared with Herceptin treatments. The old scar tissue relit with cancer and the tumor was removed surgically. During that time we discussed ablation with Dr. James Luketich who did Lisa's lung surgery. Dr. Luketich does this procedure and I understand is a nationally known lung surgeon. He also uses the Cyber Knife on lung tumors, which is a procedure similar to the gamma knife, but only for soft tissue. Targets are planted in the tumor and the radiation is directed specifically to the tumor.

Hope this is helpful.
Good Luck and God Bless
Brian and Lisa

Alice · 05-08-2007, 09:20 PM

I wasn't able to watch the broadcasts but would like to see them. If anyone knows if they will be on again please let us know. I was thinking they might be available on line?

IRENE FROM TAMPA · 05-09-2007, 04:08 AM

Thank you so much for all of that info on Dr. Georgiadis (sp)

Although mine is not in the long, I thought I might check to see if it were possible for me.

Thanks again and have a great day.