HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - Liver Mets

al from Canada · 11-30-2005, 05:47 PM

Hi Helen,
Ask mentioned in the previous post on liver mets; the gold standard for this is resection. The advantage of taking chemo BEFORE surgery is that it will shrink the tumor and improve the chances for clear margins AFTER surgery. Chemo curing liver mets..... The problem is that once you have any mets the disease is officially stage 4, therefore systemic. To cure liver mets (suggesting that this particular tumor is history and will not grow), resection will do it before chemo will so I would finish the chemo and have the surgeon remove what is left. Unfortunately, although you may have a cured "liver" it can come back anywhere, anytime.
The good news is that many on this board have been living with minimal relapses where the prognosis is no longer "terminal" but one of living with chronic disease, and doing it with an excellent quality of life. The other good news is that there is a tremendous amount of money and energy being put into this "cure" and I think that most of us are more optimistic that one will be found than ever before.

Good luck,
Al

11-30-2005, 05:47 PM	#2
al from Canada Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 722	the gold standard Hi Helen, Ask mentioned in the previous post on liver mets; the gold standard for this is resection. The advantage of taking chemo BEFORE surgery is that it will shrink the tumor and improve the chances for clear margins AFTER surgery. Chemo curing liver mets..... The problem is that once you have any mets the disease is officially stage 4, therefore systemic. To cure liver mets (suggesting that this particular tumor is history and will not grow), resection will do it before chemo will so I would finish the chemo and have the surgeon remove what is left. Unfortunately, although you may have a cured "liver" it can come back anywhere, anytime. The good news is that many on this board have been living with minimal relapses where the prognosis is no longer "terminal" but one of living with chronic disease, and doing it with an excellent quality of life. The other good news is that there is a tremendous amount of money and energy being put into this "cure" and I think that most of us are more optimistic that one will be found than ever before. Good luck, Al __________________ Primary care-giver to and advocate for Linda, who passed away April 27, 2006.