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My father was just recently diagnosed with bile duct cancer that has spread to the liver. The oncologist recommended to do chemoembolization.
We have read information about this therapy over the internet but I was wondering if anybody has tried it and if it has worked.
Any information will be greatly apprecited.
Thanks,
Hi Maridiana -
My husband, Mike had chemoembolization twice for cholangiocarcinoma in February '06 and March "06. There was some tumor shrinkage and the procedure "held" the disease for about eight months - he was monitored by MRI's.
Joni
Maridiana -
If you look under expericences there is a topic on Chemoembolization. My husband has had four embolizations and approximately 50% or more of the tumor is now dead. His last treatment was on 9/28 and now he has an abcess and major infection which is one of the worst complications you can get from the treatment. His doctors are hopeful but we are keeping our fingers crossed. Our treatments were done at Johns Hopkins, they were great at explaining everything, and I am glad that we had the treatments done - Colleen
Hello
What type of chemo was used? We tried Adriamycin and Mitomycin-c. This did not work for us at all.
Thanks
Thanks for the responses.
I'm not sure what specifcally type of chemo it is, doctors just mention chemoembolization as an option since the resection of the tumor is not an option.
Does anybody know if this is a treatment that all hospitals provide or we have to look for a cancer hospital like MD Anderson in Houston?
Maridiana -
I would suggest finding a hospital/medical center with expertise in chemoembolization. The University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, NE is one of the best places in the U.S. for liver.
Joni
Thank Joni,
Where did your husband got the treatment? Was it in NE?
Did he only require the two sessions or he needed more?
I had transarterial chemoembolization done at Baylor Liver Center in Houston. The chemo agent was doxorubicin. I don't know what the embolizing agent was. I had a very bad reaction after the procedure (inflammation, fever and very intense pain for hours, requiring multiple injections of fentanyl). Before the procedure, they told me that in their experience only 50% of those who do it get tumor shrinkage. I don't know if I benefitted or not, because I transferred to MD Anderson a month later and started a completely different type of therapy. In that one month, the tumors did not shrink, but did not grow either.
I am now on gemcitabine and cisplatin, with Tarceva every day. I feel good and am doing well. Disease is stable according to CT scan.
Violarob in Texas
Violarob....... You say your on this every day? Are you doing with attached cad pump slow dose daily? That's quite a combination you got going there. Glad to hear it is keeping all at bay.
Jeff G.
Dear Jeff: Ooops! what I meant to say was that I take the Tarceva (erlotinib) 150 mg tablet every day. The cisplatin and gemcitabine are given by IV drip infusion once every 3 weeks.
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