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446474 tn?1446347682

Hector - " No sign of tumor can be found."


On June 27th I underwent a Percutaneous Ethanol Injection (PEI) treatment (pure alcohol is injected into liver cancers to kill the cancer cells. The alcohol is injected through the skin (percutaneously) into the tumor using a very thin needle with the help of ultrasound or CT visual guidance. Alcohol induces tumor destruction by drawing water out of tumor cells (dehydrating them) and thereby altering (denaturing) the structure of cellular proteins.) was perform on my liver after two chemoembolizations treatments failure and AFP tumor marker continued to rise. Last AFP before treatment was 1,892 ug/L. Any AFP over 1,000 ug/L is predictive of cancer recurrence post transplant and death, so patients are not given transplants as are they are likely to die soon after transplant. And there is no treatment possible.

After checkup MRI on Wednesday" No sign of tumor can be found." (!!!)

I received a surprise phone call Thursday after two days of follow up testing to learn if my most recent cancer treatment had any affect on my tumor which has been preventing me from being eligible for a desperately needed liver transplant.

The MRI scan results that I had done on Wednesday and the blood tests of my tumor marker done on Tuesday had come back to my doctor's office.

While my UCSF doctor was in Brazil the emails quickly quickly spread the word between my doctor, my Nurse Practitioners, my clinical trial team, and my transplant coordinator that the tumor had been completely obliterated and there is no sign of any tumors in my liver! Needless to say I feel as though a thousand lbs of weight has been lifted off of my shoulders. I am extremely happy and dazed by this unbelievable turn of events. It appears to be everything I have been hoping for this year has actually happened despite the odds.

My tumor marker blood level dropped 1,300 ug/L points so far and next week, if everything continues in the same direction, I should be back on the liver transplant wait list. The tumor marker was 560 ug/L as of Tuesday at 1:30. I just need to be below 500 ug/L to be eligible for a transplant. I may already be there now. It typically takes 30 days for it to fall to its lowest value after a procedure. It has only been 18 days so far.

My goal now is to get a transplant ASAP before anything else happens. I may go to Yale-New Haven Hospital in Connecticut if I can get a liver there sooner than at UCSF. Whatever it takes I will do to speed along the process. Knowing that the odds were great that it was a matter of how I was going to die not if, and preparing for death has been the toughest challenge ever in my life. But I am ready, willing and able to through a transplant anytime because I still have enough will power to fight to live no matter what it takes.

This still seem like a dream and I hope I don't wake up to find it all is only that, but I wanted to share the good news after so many disappointments and setbacks due to my cancer making me ineligible for a life-saving transplant. Thankfully my great teams of doctors kept trying despite the small odds of success.

Onward to a liver transplant and a life beyond disability...  :-))
Howie
54 Responses
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Avatar universal
Very happy for you Hector.
David
Helpful - 0
1986676 tn?1329862471
This is amazing news.
Guess our collective prayers were answered.
Glad you kept pushing. Now we can pray you get a suitable liver ASAP.

Reva
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Avatar universal
This is great news!  Hoping that you get a transplant soon and can move onto the next great chapter of your life.  Every day our prayers get answered.
Best, jsf52
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hector, I am so happy to hear this wonderful news. Thank God.
Advocate1955
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789911 tn?1368636783
Hi Hector, going to sleep tonight with a big smile !  Im sure I will sleep well!  A huge congratulations to you!  
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Avatar universal
Wow...such amazing news!  You are on your way to bigger and better parts of life.  Congrats H
Helpful - 0
2059648 tn?1439766665
I like that : )  What a great feeling that must be for you.   Truly remarkable!
Helpful - 0
707563 tn?1626361905
Oh what great news! Congrats, and you'll remain in my thoughts.

Em
Helpful - 0
446474 tn?1446347682
Thank you Willy, Mike and Naya...

When I heard the news that no tumor could be found on the MRI after my last HCC treatment, I thought of this line of renewed life emerging from darkness. What a glorious moment if was.

“As little flowers, which the chill of night has bent and huddled, when the white sun strikes, grow straight and open fully on their stems, so did I, too, with my exhausted force.”

― Dante Alighieri, Inferno (14th century)

Ciao!
Howie
Helpful - 0
2136167 tn?1374728651
Absolutely the greatest news !!!Congratulation Hector!!Hang on ,I wish you successful transplant soon!!Love Naya

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Avatar universal
It makes you want to believe...and I do believe!

Mike
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Avatar universal
How wonderful to see this!!!!!


Fingers crossed for you buddy....

~W
Helpful - 0
446474 tn?1446347682
I am waiting to talk to my hepatologist about my best option for transplant between UCSF and Yale-New Haven. Only she can find out and compare the two in terms of wait time. UCSF has the longest wait list for liver transplants in the country (over 700 people waiting for a transplant).

I will know the answer at the latest by next Monday.

Ciao
H
Helpful - 0
96938 tn?1189799858
Great news, Hector. I come here mostly for your news these days and I've been anxious and curious about the drunken tumor process you went through.  Now that it's paid off I'm wondering about the availability of a liver at Yale vs. UCSF.  Is it that liver supply is regional?  I know you love your team there but does it mean that you go to the likely supply of liver?  How does that work?

p.s. Watch out if you get to Yale you'll be dangerously close to Can Do Man and NYGirl.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
:)
Helpful - 0
446474 tn?1446347682
Thank you each and every one of one. Having your support through this process has helped me to remain hopeful despite the odds against me. I am truly grateful and humbled by the surprise turn of events that even my doctors find unbelievable. Of course I must thank them for not giving up on me and developing options for me to try before I had no options left. I feel like the luckiest man on the face of the earth since hearing the news. I hope I will be worthy of my good fortune and hope to help other patients in the transplant community when I can again return to working. I have been given the most precious gift. Life. May I never forget the hell I have been through and all the love and support from so many who helped me find my way to a better place.

"In the midst of winter, I found there was within me an invincible summer."
- Albert Careb

Howie
Helpful - 0
683664 tn?1330966324
YAY!!!!  Hooray!!!  Yipppeeeee!!!  Yahooo!!!  So excited!!!  I'm so glad for your fabulous news, it is the answer to all our prayers!  Yes, now to make that transplant happen, so glad I stopped in today to hear about this.  Go Howie!!!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Howie, by far the very best news I have seen on this forumn!!!!!!!
You have devoted so much of your self to help others ( including me ) that I am absolutely ecstatic to read this wonderful news!
If karma has anything to do with things ( and I believe it does) then your karma house is order!!!! I could go on and on, but I have a pretty good idea of what you have been going thru physically and  mentally. Howie, I must say you my friend, are going to get this transplant and get back to living and enjoying all life has to offer!
Peace
Jerry
Helpful - 0
3211536 tn?1359385569
Congratulations on you Miracle! how happy for you!
Helpful - 0
4950316 tn?1394184585
Wonderful news, Hector, that steering has resumed on the rudderless boat, and things are on the move again.
Helpful - 0
4384361 tn?1399998230
Hector,
In following your posts these past few months I have learned a few things about you.  You just never gave in to your disease and your will to live is unbreakable.  I hope to next hear that you are getting the liver transplant you truly deserve.
Rebecca
Helpful - 0
1652596 tn?1342011626
i am beyond happy for you.  i'm praying for you to get your liver transplant now!!!  bless you.  belle
Helpful - 0
4705307 tn?1447970322
Awesome, this is really good news! We do have an amazing team for us.
Tim
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Things are looking better guy........ Congrats.
Helpful - 0
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