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? 

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  • Hello Car25,

                        Sorry to read your post and the plight of your friend.Since everyones case is very specific it would be impossible to give you the answers you are desperately seeking, the medical team that will be treating her will only now be discovering those.

    In general terms the liver will go on functioning until it reaches the point of disruption,at which time the outward signs become all too apparent.Tumours can be reduced by chemotherapy,but will depend if the type of cancer responds to the treatment,Liver cancer tends to be difficult to treat this way, but there arealternative methods that have a better effect.Tumours can be surgically removed but this will depend on the position within the liver,and if proximity to adjoining vital areas Such as bile ducts and blood vessels preclude this. As a general rule situated on the outer lobes away from these,is a good position for surgery.Remember it will not only be the removal of the tumour but also a good margin of tissue around the site to ensure no escape of cancer cells.

      As someone who had bowel cancer metastasis to the liver it raises another question that is the cancer in your friends liver a secondary,and if so what is the primary.l lost 65%  of my liver but the healthy tissue left behind will grow in time to make up for lost capacity.

    Sorry l can only say that time will reveal the full extent of your friends illness,but at this stage there is still the possibility of stabilising and extending life or a surgical cure.The agony will come waiting for definitive answers over the coming weeks,

                                                                       Hold on with hope,

                                                                                                        David

     

  • Thank you  so much for sharing your story, I'm glad you have a positive outcome, it is very scary the not knowing what is going to happen next. I'm in limbo at present, I don't want to keep pestering her husband poor man, at this time, I can't even go in to see her as strict Covid rules are obviously still in place, only her husband is allowed. God bless you and keep you going forward. X

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  • Thank you  so much for sharing your story, I'm glad you have a positive outcome, it is very scary the not knowing what is going to happen next. I'm in limbo at present, I don't want to keep pestering her husband poor man, at this time, I can't even go in to see her as strict Covid rules are obviously still in place, only her husband is allowed. God bless you and keep you going forward. X

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