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Monica Hansen
New User
Joined: 03 Aug 2007
Posts: 2
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 Posted: Fri Aug 03, 2007 4:39 am Post subject: colon cancer, spread to liver - transplant options |
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Hello all,
My mother was diagnosed with colon cancer that spread to the liver. She started chemo last July and it worked well for awhile in terms of shrinking the tumors. Her tumors are now becoming more numerous and I have a question. Would it be possible to do a live-donor (me) transplant to give mom a new liver and cut out the cancer in the colon?
I am pretty computer-clueless and have never tried a "forum thing" before but I wanted more info about this and just thought someone might know more. I am aware that these are big surgeries but mom is only 69 and she is healthy (except for the cancer).
Any thoughts? Thank you in advance for your time. |
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brainman
Site Admin
Joined: 13 Oct 2005
Posts: 3929
Location: Tennessee
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| Posted: Fri Aug 03, 2007 7:09 am Post subject: Re: colon cancer, spread to liver - transplant options |
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Monica, have you had a chance to speak with your mother's medical team about this option? I am truly sorry about her cancer and wish I had an answer for you. I do not know if she would qualify for a transplant. However, my guess is that she would not... at least not in the USA. You might go to China or India and find medical teams willing to do this transplant. Nevertheless, you need to take into consideration the risk the surgery would bring to your life, the risk of your mother's body rejecting the new liver, and the chance that it would not solve her cancer problem. It has spread from her colon to her liver. Who knows where else it might be gaining a foothold?
I will keep you and your mother in my thoughts and prayers as you ponder this decision.
_________________
Jim
Site Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendoglioma grade 3, same location.
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Blog http://jimhawkinsport.blogspot.com/ |
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cptmac
Regular
Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 49
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| Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 10:43 pm Post subject: Liver transplant |
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When I was diagnosed with colon cancer with mets to the liver, I asked that question to my doctors. They said I would not be a candidate to give my organs or to receive organs.
The reason is, because the person who gets the transplant needs to take immunosuppresents to accept the liver. If there is any cancer floating around their body, or in the organ I choose to donate, the immunosuppresents will make the cancer quickly grow. So, instead of having months or years left to live, their time will be cut quite short.
However, if the cancer has not spread, say your mother only had cancer in her liver and had not spread, she would be a candidate.
Ask your doctor. |
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Monica Hansen
New User
Joined: 03 Aug 2007
Posts: 2
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| Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 2:22 am Post subject: Re: colon cancer, spread to liver - transplant options |
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| Thank you folks so much for your replies. I guess it was a good thought but I can see now that it is not workable. Mom will try a variation of the chemo and we will hope for the best. |
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