For those who have beaten the odds and are surviving hepatocellular carcinoma.

[RolloMay]

Any pearls or tips from those who are beating the odds and surviving hepatocellular carcinoma?

I was diagnosed 3 months ago and am currently on immunotherapy. I've tried not to get buried in the statistics regarding hepatocellular carcinoma. As I realize there are many who are beating the statistics.

If one of these persons is you, could you share some of your pearls or tips?

[WayCas Patient]

Rollo,This Wayne again. You know my medical story. The mental part is as important. Stay positive, eat well, don't drink and enjoy every moment. As Warren Zevon said, " buy green bananas and enjoy every sandwich. "

Pray regularly and keep family close.

Blessings,

Wayne

[Joschua Patient]

I agree with WayCas. The mental part is very important. Idont know if I'm allowed to mention this but the books written by Biologist Jeremy Griffith helped me alot. Just Google the name. All his Books are FREE to read or download on the site. To make clear Idont gain any money or anything from this. Promise! But you ask so those Books and anything on that site helped me alot. All the best Joshua

[DancingEyes63 Moderator Caregiver]

Although Jimmy passed last month, he did manage to beat the odds for two years and had a great quality of life his last year. When he was diagnosed, it was already advanced plus he had End Stage Liver Disease, a cirrhotic liver, Hep C and Hepatic Encephalopathy plus Portal Vein Thrombosis. The first oncologist felt he wouldn't live long enough to even begin treatment. He stopped treatment in February and went on Hospice because the treatment was destroying his quality of life and we knew there wouldn't be a cure. His "pearls of wisdom" were to LIVE! To not get so bogged done in the diagnosis and treatment that you stopped living and it just became about the cancer. I think this especially applies for the ones that a curative treatment is not an option. So the last year we did anything and everything he felt like doing and wanted to do. Focused on being happy and making memories instead of worrying when he was going to die. He worked out in the yard and the garden and did things the doctor and nurses couldn't believe was possible. We knew the end would come and I knew how he wanted it to come so we didn't focus on that...we focused on cramming as much living and as much love that we could in whatever time he had. He was out cutting and loading 20 ft cedar posts for our new self supported roof 2 days before he went into liver failure. He felt that if you made everyday and every thought about cancer, then cancer had beaten you because it had not only ended your life but stolen the time you did have. Next month, check out his interview on One Liver to Love and you can hear it in his words. ❤️❤️

Sharon Dixon

[Grank Patient]

My husband was diagnosed with HCC and portal vein tumour thrombus and it will be 4 years on 2/1/2023. He had a successful major liver resection on 20/3/2019. Since then he has had two microwave ablations for small <2cm recurrence in the remnant liver and just recently a TACE procedure for a 1.6cm lesion that was surgically difficult to reach. He developed neutropenia and sepsis after the TACE but is much better now. I can't say that he's well as he also has myasthenia gravis but he's in a lot better shape than many other 71-year-olds. He leads a rich and fulfilling life and hopefully will continue to do so for many years to come.

[Ltch in reply to Grank]

Hi Grank, were they able to operate even with portal vein thrombosis?