Found mass on Liver, - Cancer Message Board

Tellesfamilia · 08-12-2005, 12:36 AM

Hello all,

I posted on the liver disorder, and was thinking maybe posting in the general cancer could help me. Well here it goes. This past Tuesday I had ultrasound done, to check for fatty liver, after I had blood work done and certain levels were high and of concern. These past couple of months I am extremely weak, I sleep tweleve hours a day, and still wake up and have no engery, I have to force myself to get up, I swear if I did not have a 4 year old, I would sleep all the time. I thought it was beacause I cut all sugar and caffeine out of my diet. I have severe adominal swelling I mean where I look like I am pregnant again, followed with pain in my r side under breast but not severe. I have reflux, but I am told that these things are because I am over weight. Upper Gi series negative, just showed reflux. I am 23 stand at 5'6 and weigh 240. I am on a strict diet and excercise program and still no weight loss. Well anyway, that is why bloodwork was done, followed by the ultrasound. The results came back today, I do have fatty deposits on the liver, but the liver is fine, not enlarged. Well the news is a mass was found on my liver, by my gall bladder, not sure if it os on both,a ct scan will be done the begining of the week, to see for sure what it is.

I have a few questions, first cancer runs in my family, both twin sisters who are under 30 have already had uterine and ovarian, one has been in remission for 10 years and the other 1 year, after given 3-6 months to live. my dad died of lung and thraot cancer, all his family has passed from cancer, which is 3 uncles and 2 aunts.

But just a few questions, hope some one can shed some light,

1. How does a person actually know they have liver cancer or cancer in general?
2. How do you get a mass on your liver?
3. If cancer is on your liver, can it be removed with out messing with the liver function?
4.Can a ct scan tell if the mass is Cancer?
5. If it is cancer, what would be the best option to do, removal, chemo or does it depend on the size of the mass?

Well thanks alot.

ktee_uk · 08-12-2005, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tellesfamilia

But just a few questions, hope some one can shed some light,

1. How does a person actually know they have liver cancer or cancer in general?
2. How do you get a mass on your liver?
3. If cancer is on your liver, can it be removed with out messing with the liver function?
4.Can a ct scan tell if the mass is Cancer?
5. If it is cancer, what would be the best option to do, removal, chemo or does it depend on the size of the mass?

Well thanks alot.

Hi Tellesfamilia

I hope I can answer some of your questions but I am no doctor so at best please use my info as a base for you to ask further questions of your doctors.

1. Unfortunately many people never know they have cancer until symptoms become severe. For some the effects are more obvious such as a lump, lession or suspiscious mole. The only way to be sure of either primary liver cancer or secondary cancer to the liver (mets or Metastasis) is for a combination of tests to be carried out. these include CEA blood tests, various types of scans or xrays. There are numerous clinical symptoms to take in to account also which may include weight loss, jaundice, weakness, localized or distant pain.

2. The liver is divided into various segments (8 I think) in 2 lobes. Mass or tumors can grow anywhere inside the liver or outisde. Lessions can also occur. I dont know why or how a mass develops other than it is a mutation of cells that overtake normal cells.

3. The liver is the only organ in the body which will regrow/regenerate. My husband had massive mets to his liver as a result of of bowel cancer. He had nearly 70% of his liver removed (resected) and within 6 weeks it was functioning normally and in 6 months back to its normal size. I think the current standard is that they can remove 75% of your liver without it badly affecting you. My husband did have chemo to reduce the tumors and there are other procedures that can be done too.

4. A ct scan will only schow a map of what there is to see. It wont tell you whether a mass is malignant. I believe that a PET or MRI scan would do this. No doubt a biopsy is the best way to find out for sure.

5. If it is a malignant mass then it needs treatment or else it would engulf the liver. Sometimes a mass is on the edge of a lobe and is fairly easy to cut off cleanly. Sometimes the location of a mass can make surgery tricky and therefore chemo is maybe necessary to reduce the size of the mass prior to chemo.

If the mass is a secondary tumor (mets) then the primary cancer needs to be determined prior to the liver treatment.

Hope this all helps and that your probs are easily overcome

regards
ktee

Tellesfamilia · 08-13-2005, 02:21 AM

Thanks you so much for the info I have been looking things up I just want to have a better understanding, I am still hoping all turns out. Well thanks again, I hope all is well with your husband.

happyelf · 08-13-2005, 12:19 PM

tellesfamilia--check the liver boards.

"Mass" does not = cancer...please try not to panic. Unfortunately the radiologists use that word for a group of foriegn cells of unknown origin--and it scares the crap out of us. It can be many other things. hang in there--
happyelf

Tellesfamilia · 08-14-2005, 07:49 PM

Thanks a bunch, I really have not been thinking about it to much, I would like to prepare myself in the just in case, but I go on Tuesday for a ct so I will keep you guys posted, thanks a bunch for the responses.