My friend has Liver Cancer

Hello. Thank you for letting me join. Three weeks ago, my dearest friend was admitted to hospital as she was turning yellow -"jaundice - She also was in pain which she'd hidden. She had lots of investigations, endoscopy, scans, and they found a mass in her liver. Its cancer. They are putting in a stent to drain the bilirubin, but today her husband tells me she had to be readmitted yesterday because of her pain (she is on Tramadol but clearly that's not enough). Please can anyone just tell me, is this "it"? How can someone be fine 4 weeks ago, but so ill now? I can't take this in - I lost mum 33 years ago to aggressive breast cancer, within 3 months of first finding out, she died. How can my friend be so ill  - is this the last stage already? I'm sorry, I don't know who else to ask. She can't be dying already? 

Parents
  • Hello and thanks for your post,

    I am sorry to hear about your friend. This must be a difficult time for you and her family. 

    It is very difficult without being involved in her care to know quite how long she has had this cancer for. I am not sure how long she has been complaining of pain before she was diagnosed as you say that she had kept the pain 'hidden'. Cancers in some cases can grow quickly and appear to come out of nowhere. I can understand how distressing this can be.

    Prognosis is a very difficult thing to predict. A lot will depend on how big the cancer is and how well she will respond to any treatment that she is given. There are no UK survival statistics for liver cancer but the statistics we have are published in the European Guidelines for liver cancer. This system takes in to account the size and location of the cancer as well how the liver is working and a persons general health.

    It is really only her own doctors who can tell you more about her outlook but this is only a rough idea as it is based on other patients with a similar  cancer and in a similar situation.

    You can see the statistics here

    The aim will be to to try and get any pain under control and if she is well enough to perhaps offer her some treatment depending on the size and type of liver cancer she has. You can read about the different types of treatment here

    Hopefully with the help of the stent this will help improve her jaundice which can be distressing for your friend. 

    There are various resources and support for patients with liver cancer which you can see here

    I do hope that you are managing to get some support for yourself.

    If any of you want to ring and speak to one of the helpline nurses then you are more then welcome to do so. Our number to call is Freephone 0808 800 4040 and the lines are open from 9am till 5pm Monday to Friday.

    Very Best Wishes,

    Catherine

Reply
  • Hello and thanks for your post,

    I am sorry to hear about your friend. This must be a difficult time for you and her family. 

    It is very difficult without being involved in her care to know quite how long she has had this cancer for. I am not sure how long she has been complaining of pain before she was diagnosed as you say that she had kept the pain 'hidden'. Cancers in some cases can grow quickly and appear to come out of nowhere. I can understand how distressing this can be.

    Prognosis is a very difficult thing to predict. A lot will depend on how big the cancer is and how well she will respond to any treatment that she is given. There are no UK survival statistics for liver cancer but the statistics we have are published in the European Guidelines for liver cancer. This system takes in to account the size and location of the cancer as well how the liver is working and a persons general health.

    It is really only her own doctors who can tell you more about her outlook but this is only a rough idea as it is based on other patients with a similar  cancer and in a similar situation.

    You can see the statistics here

    The aim will be to to try and get any pain under control and if she is well enough to perhaps offer her some treatment depending on the size and type of liver cancer she has. You can read about the different types of treatment here

    Hopefully with the help of the stent this will help improve her jaundice which can be distressing for your friend. 

    There are various resources and support for patients with liver cancer which you can see here

    I do hope that you are managing to get some support for yourself.

    If any of you want to ring and speak to one of the helpline nurses then you are more then welcome to do so. Our number to call is Freephone 0808 800 4040 and the lines are open from 9am till 5pm Monday to Friday.

    Very Best Wishes,

    Catherine

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