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

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