ablation of liver

[Pam P]

I have to have a radio frequency ablation (RFA) of the liver. The tumor is not responding to chemo and my oncologist thinks this might work better on this tumor, It's and out patient day gig, I don;t have a date scheduled yet but he wants it to be in two weeks. The tumor has grown from 1-2 cm in 3 months. I know some of have had this done. I know only what I've read on line.

Please tell me your experiences. Painful? Recovery time? How successful? How long does it take to know how it worked? Needless to say I;m nervous and scared. I want this tumor gone. Thank you.

[StephN]

Cool Breeze had this done last year. If she does not see this post try her direct.

All the best for a successful procedure to rid your body of this tumor load.

[Lauriesh]

Hi Pam,
Are you having it done at univ of minn?

I had it done there almost two years ago with dr Dzuisa.

It was an easy procedure. I was told to take it easy for a few days and not to play contact sports for 6 weeks . ( yeah, like that is happening).

I did have a little tenderness on my right side for about a week or so, but nothing too bad.


Good luck

Laurie

[Laurel]

Sure hope this sends that bugger straight back to the pit of hell where it came from! Good luck. I think several gals have had it here and I believe it was tolerated well and did the trick for several. I pray it works wonders for you!

[ElaineM]

I don't have any answers, but I want to wish you all the best. Let's start off the new year much healthier.

[Pray]

Pam, I also hope and pray all will go well for you. Please know that you are in my prayers. Peace my friend.

[Redwolf8812]

Prayers for success!

- Penny

[CoolBreeze]

I sent a PM but remember that I also had a resection as well as an ablation. So I misread the question. So, what an ablation alone is like I can't say.

What I know about the ablation is a) it didn't work for me and b) it muddles PET scans in the future. Make sure that you have the same team read all your future scans - ablated recovery is metabolically active and shows up on PET scans as cancer, even if there isn't any.

I hope it works much better for you than it did for me. They won't redo mine as they said that the cancer is too near vital structures and they are afraid I would lose functioning. But if any chemo shrinks it back, they can try again. I'm on my sixth chemo now so I'm less hopeful.

Good luck!

[Mary Anne in TX]

Pam, just wanted you to know that I'm cheering for you. (and prayers too)

[tricia keegan]

Pam, sending good wishes for your recovery! x

[BonnieR]

Sending best wishes that this proves to be an early Christmas gift for you. Thinking good thoughts. Keep the faith

[Pam P]

Thank You! To everyone who has had experience with this I appreciate your help. And to everyone I truly hang onto your support and prayers, The date is still not scheduled; it should be soon. The nurse called me yesterday and told me this doctor wants people to spend the night in the hospital. Fine with me. I'll get good care and pain meds by IV if needed.

[ammebarb]

Sending my best wishes too, Pam. Hope it goes smoothly, and you recover well and quickly

Barb A.

[yanyan]

Hoping this procedure will work miracles for you ! May you have a smooth surgery and easy recovery!

[NEDenise]

Sending prayers and love your way!
Denise

[conomyself]

Sending prayers your way...may you beat this once and for all!

Rachael

[Laurel]

Hospital stay and pain meds, not the Ritz, but funny how we think as patients...."hey, drugs and room service, so what if the bed is hard and covered in plastic, the atmosphere noisy, and the food lousy!

I sure hope and pray everything goes well and things begin to brighten for you. In your corner and believing good things are coming!

[Catherine]

Overnight with room service...so well put by Laurel. May the nurses be nice and the procedure go well. Thinking of you dear Pam. Everyone on the site is supporting you and wishing we could be there to be by your side.

All the best and sending love and prayers,

[phil]

My wife Lorraine had it done at MGH in Boston. Very successful. MGH said they wrer pioneers in inventing it quite afew yrs ago. great Dr., Dr. Arellano.
That spot in liver is stil cancer free , about 3-4 yrs later. Incision was tiny, but it shocks the liver , so L. felt some pretty stiff pain for a few days, plus low grade fever, chills due to the trauma to that part of the liver.
we have all scans at mgh so they know what it is, and always comment on it , " ablation area '. never came back there.
So its great for a single, intractable tumor, not for multiple sites. Lo's cancer came back later in multiple liver areas ' like weeds in a lawn " is how our doc described it in 2010, but TDM- blasted it all out , ned over a yr. Good luck !

[jml]

Hi my friend Pam~
Sending my prayers and encouragement.
I had RFA in Jan 2005 for single liver lesion, but because of it's proximity to the main portal vein, the procedure was not completely successful. I eventually had a liver resection in Dec 2005, because the residual disease progressed. My liver surgeon says he wouldn't have recommended the RFA bc they knew the results would be incomplete - I blame the Interventional Radiologist for not being more honest about the outcome - but I'm still glad I had it because it decreased the tumor load, and bought me ~11more months before having the liver resection.
As I recall, it was a pretty easily tolerated procedure, but I do remember having pretty painful gas bubbles post.23 hours in hospital, good meds and watchful eyes to look after you is a good thing.

Please keep us posted when you schedule the procedure.

Hugs~

Jessica
Dx-5/17/02 - 33 yo; Stage IV - L IDC w/single liver met
1) Herceptin + Navelbine x 8 weeks - No response; progress to innumerable,immeasureable liver mets
2) ISIS 2504 + Herceptin - 6 mos, partial response
3) Taxol + Herceptin x 13 weeks to NED!
NED for 1 year
9/04 - Single liver lesion recurrence
Taxol + Herceptin - on/off to beat back lesion
12/05 - R Hepatectomy; Liver NED until 2009
3/06- Local recurrence - Left breast, IDC & DCIS, but holding treatment while continue to heal from Hepatectomy.
12/06 - L mastectomy + reconstruction through 8/07
10/07 - Recurrence - supraclav nodes
4) Gemzar + Herceptin - on/off controlling nodes thru
9/08 - 7wks Rads to supraclav nodes
10/08 - Acute Renal Failure - nodes in belly stricturing kidneys. placed permanent ureteral stents
Back on Gemzar + Herceptin, but no longer responding.
5) 05/09 - Tykerb + Xeloda - partial response x 5 mos
6) 10/09 - Xeloda + Herceptin - no response, disease progresses
7) 2/10- Ixempra + Herceptin - partial response x 12 wks.
Discovered single brain lesion x 4mm & liver lesions growing while screening for TDM1 + PI3Kinase study.
6/10 - Novalis to treat brain met - SUCCESSFUL!
8) 6/10 - Chemo-embo w/Adriamyacin to de-bulk liver lesion.
9) 8/10 - Screened & Started TDM1 EAP
Immediate response, disease in belly responds dramatically.
2/11- questionable progression of lung nodules
Discontinue TDM1
10) 3/11 - PI3Kinase + Herceptin - intial good response in 1st 6 weeks but LFT's elevated.
11) 7/11-Discontinue PI3Kinase + Herceptin study;
Disease progression - 2 small lesions in colon – docs have never seen this before in BC
11) 8/11 –Start new combo Halaven+Herceptin
10/14/11 -Completed 3 cycles (9 wks)Halaven+Herceptin...
10/18/11 - Scanxiety time -1st scans since starting this regimen
Good interval response, continue on H+H!
10/25/11 – new 2mm questionable spot in brain? Due to Novalis or new disease?
Re-scan in 8 weeks.
1/3/12- Disease progression; 50%increase size & SUV-R lung, middle lobe 6cm lesion.
R supraclav node multiple, miscellaneous nodes in belly. Colon lesions fired up.
12)Herceptin+ metronomic Cytoxan + Methotrexate.
…on a hope & a prayer. Only chemo I haven’t been on is Taxotere.
Hurry up Pertuzumab & TDM1!
Follow Up Brain Scan on 1/18/12…pleasepleaseplease be okay. I can’t take much more.
1/18/2012- 8 new spots in 8 weeks since last Brain MRI
one 2cm spot in brain stem, one 2cm spot in R temporal lobe.
No symptoms, THANK GOD!
1/25/12 – Start WBR x 15 rounds
2/10/12 – Oral Cytoxan WORKING! Melted supraclav node & undetectable by US!
2/14/12 – FINISH 15 rounds WBR
6/12/12- Continuing on oral Methotrexate BID & Cytoxan qpm, but on chemo break
for 3rd week due to low counts.
6/15/12 – Yay! Resume chemoJ
6/25/12 – Chemo break again due to low counts L
6/28/12 – PET Scan & Brain MRI this week…
NED IS BACK!!! NED in the HEAD, NED in the BODY!
10/26/12 – Still NED in the HEAD, but single troublesome node in chest, precariously close to superior vena cava/heart. Not a perfect scan, but pretty darn good.
Maintain current treatment and Echocardiogram on 11/1 to keep an eye on node.
12/1 -Echo looks good,but still experiencing SVC obstruction/compression symptoms.
12/2-chemo break due to low platelets
12/7-extend chemo break, lazy platelets & moving PET scan up bc of increased SVC symptoms