My dad was diagnosed with liver cancer today. It still hasn't sunk in yet. I've been trying to stay tough but it's quite a task to do so. I'm just looking for good ideas concerning treatment, dealing with this disease and helping in the best way possible. Anything helps!
Thanks guys.
Welcome to the Blue Faery message boards, firstly.
Secondly, I know how rough that diagnosis can sound. It wasn't long ago I heard the exact same thing about my father.
Your treatment options vary greatly depending on the specifics regarding your father's condition. Although none of us are medical professionals, we're nonetheless happy to point you in the direction of resources. How much do you know about his condition so far? Have they staged it yet? Has it spread outside of the liver? Is it one tumor or many? These are all important pieces of information that you may not have yet -- and if you don't, that's ok. They will come very quickly, as this disease tends to progress quickly so testing and treatment tend to need to happen ASAP for the best prognosis.
In the meantime, hydration and nutrition are your best friends. If he can't eat, see if you can get him to drink an ensure or similar meal replacement drink. If he's hospitalized, request a "banana bag" (it's basically just saline + some important other nutrients to help the body naturally fight infection). If he CAN eat but is having bowel problems, banana can naturally firm up watery stools and apple juice can loosen up hard stools. These are all shots in the dark for common situations, but once we can get more specifics, we can narrow things down greatly.
And no matter what, remember you are not alone in this. This board may not be super active (yet!), but there are ALWAYS people here and you can reach out when things are rough. Your father isn't the only person we want to hear about, either. When you have a moment (I'm sure things are a bit of a whirlwind right now), feel free to pop over to the "Introduce Yourself" thread and tell us about yourself, as well.
healthunlocked.com/bluefaer...
A basic post regarding multiple treatment options is available here:
I know you have already had a reply but I wanted to add my own welcome. I'm very sorry you and your family are having to go through this. Everyone seems to deal with things differently and there is no 'right way'. I know that I was surprised by how little my husband wanted to do any research on his own. Partially, this was because of how bad he felt physically but probably also emotionally. So, I think anything you can do to help with scheduling appointments, doing shopping, just being there to listen if he wants to talk, etc. As a loved one, this can be very draining for you so take care of yourself too. Please reach out with any questions you have.
I'm sorry to hear about your father. Our Blue Faery Community Ambassadors have given you excellent information (thanks!). I would only add 1) Always get a second opinion and make sure the doctor is an HCC expert and 2) Consider clinical trials immediately if your father is not eligible for resection. (As spazure mentioned -- staging. What stage is your father in? Everything is determined by stage.) On this page is our easy clinical trials navigator: bluefaery.org/clinical-trials/ (but it only searches US clinical trials).
~Andrea
HCC PATIENT LOOKING FOR NEXT STEP
Experience with rising AFP but stable scans?
Hello!
Updated information causing confusion