Talk Cancer

Question:

I’m 1b and approaching my 5th shot of IFN…I haven’t had a biopsy.  I have a bleeding disorder, don’t want to take the chance, and my doc agrees it’s not absolutely necessary for me.  Because I have minor esophogeal varices, she assumes I have some cirrhosis. Ddavid "Thomas Wagner" <t…@capecod.com> wrote in message

news:p6up91p6n0faig7g402il7r2hb43na2amk@4ax.com… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> On Tue, 31 May 2005 16:54:09 -0500, mond…@verizon.com (Mondino) wrote: >>Saw the Doc today. Great guy. I’m having the blood tests done, of course, >>but >>he kind of hinted that there was an option to get the biopsy.  Other than >>the >>fact that you know how damaged your liver is, what other need is there to >>really go through this?  How about the ultrasound?  Thanks. > Unfortunately, the ultrasound doesn’t show fibrosis. There are some > interesting developments that might eliminate the need for biopsies in > the future (blood tests and CAT scans), but neither is very reliable > yet. You could ask your doc about a Fibrotest or Fibrospect blood test, > that’s on the market and not overly costly. If that test shows a high > fibrosis level, you may not need to go through a biopsy, you know you > have to treat. But if it doesn’t show fibrosis, you can’t rely on that, > so you’d still have to do a biopsy in the end. > Biopsies aren’t that much of a problem anymore, the complication rate > has dropped significantly over the past decades. They usually now do an > ultrasound-guided one so they don’t poke around in the dark. They’re not > my idea of fun, but I went through a few without significant pain. > Thomas > — > To reach me, complete my last name in the address.

Response:

In article <2t5ne.11116$Ri4.3632@okepread07>, as…@cox.net says… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->You summarized it pretty well, the biopsy is to tell how much live damage >you have. How much inflammation, fibrosis, or cirrhosis, how much steatosis, >how soon you may want to test for hepatocellular carcnoma. (liver cancer). >It may tell you if you have some time to wait, or whether need to go right >into treatment. I’ve had two and they didn’t hurt at all, I have heard from >a few in this group that it can be painful. >My doctor kept a Demerol drip handy just in case. Think I should have faked >a pain?  Buster ><mond…@verizon.com> wrote in message >news:ML-dnZmGL96cQAHfRVn-gQ@comcast.com… >> Saw the Doc today. Great guy. I’m having the blood tests done, of course, >> but >> he kind of hinted that there was an option to get the biopsy.  Other than >> the >> fact that you know how damaged your liver is, what other need is there to >> really go through this?  How about the ultrasound?  Thanks.

Thanks Buster. I’m going through with at least an attempt of treatment regardless.  I think I’ll reserve the option of biopsy after the ultra. A physical exam was very positive and I feel great with no symptoms of anything.   What’s scary though, is that I have had it for about 25 years based on elevated enzyme levels (AST and ALT only) during that time period.  So I know my liver is probably damaged. It’s time to try to make it better.

Response:

In article <p6up91p6n0faig7g402il7r2hb43na2…@4ax.com>, t…@capecod.com says… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->On Tue, 31 May 2005 16:54:09 -0500, mond…@verizon.com (Mondino) wrote: >>Saw the Doc today. Great guy. I’m having the blood tests done, of course, but >>he kind of hinted that there was an option to get the biopsy.  Other than the >>fact that you know how damaged your liver is, what other need is there to >>really go through this?  How about the ultrasound?  Thanks. >Unfortunately, the ultrasound doesn’t show fibrosis. There are some >interesting developments that might eliminate the need for biopsies in >the future (blood tests and CAT scans), but neither is very reliable >yet. You could ask your doc about a Fibrotest or Fibrospect blood test, >that’s on the market and not overly costly. If that test shows a high >fibrosis level, you may not need to go through a biopsy, you know you >have to treat. But if it doesn’t show fibrosis, you can’t rely on that, >so you’d still have to do a biopsy in the end. >Biopsies aren’t that much of a problem anymore, the complication rate >has dropped significantly over the past decades. They usually now do an >ultrasound-guided one so they don’t poke around in the dark. They’re not >my idea of fun, but I went through a few without significant pain. >Thomas >– >To reach me, complete my last name in the address.

Thanks Tom. I’m not sure about the biopsy thing yet, but I will undergo treatment.  We’ll see how it goes.  

Response:

"Mondino" <mond…@verizon.com> wrote in message

news:ML-dnZmGL96cQAHfRVn-gQ@comcast.com… > Saw the Doc today. Great guy. I’m having the blood tests done, of course, > but > he kind of hinted that there was an option to get the biopsy.  Other than > the > fact that you know how damaged your liver is, what other need is there to > really go through this?  How about the ultrasound?  Thanks.

I’ve had 3.  The first one hurt some, which painkillers eliminated immediately.  The other 2 went off without a hitch.  Personally, I like knowing what kind of shape my liver’s in.

Response:

Bingo Thip, I’m with you about wanting to know what shape the livers in. Not knowing would just drive me crazy.  buster "Thip" <m…@privacy.net> wrote in message

news:3g6lplFasvt7U1@individual.net… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> "Mondino" <mond…@verizon.com> wrote in message > news:ML-dnZmGL96cQAHfRVn-gQ@comcast.com… >> Saw the Doc today. Great guy. I’m having the blood tests done, of course, >> but >> he kind of hinted that there was an option to get the biopsy.  Other than >> the >> fact that you know how damaged your liver is, what other need is there to >> really go through this?  How about the ultrasound?  Thanks. > I’ve had 3.  The first one hurt some, which painkillers eliminated > immediately.  The other 2 went off without a hitch.  Personally, I like > knowing what kind of shape my liver’s in.

Response:

Saw the Doc today. Great guy. I’m having the blood tests done, of course, but he kind of hinted that there was an option to get the biopsy.  Other than the fact that you know how damaged your liver is, what other need is there to really go through this?  How about the ultrasound?  Thanks.

Response:

You summarized it pretty well, the biopsy is to tell how much live damage you have. How much inflammation, fibrosis, or cirrhosis, how much steatosis, how soon you may want to test for hepatocellular carcnoma. (liver cancer). It may tell you if you have some time to wait, or whether need to go right into treatment. I’ve had two and they didn’t hurt at all, I have heard from a few in this group that it can be painful. My doctor kept a Demerol drip handy just in case. Think I should have faked a pain?  Buster <mond…@verizon.com> wrote in message

news:ML-dnZmGL96cQAHfRVn-gQ@comcast.com… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Saw the Doc today. Great guy. I’m having the blood tests done, of course, > but > he kind of hinted that there was an option to get the biopsy.  Other than > the > fact that you know how damaged your liver is, what other need is there to > really go through this?  How about the ultrasound?  Thanks.

Response:

On Tue, 31 May 2005 16:54:09 -0500, mond…@verizon.com (Mondino) wrote: >Saw the Doc today. Great guy. I’m having the blood tests done, of course, but >he kind of hinted that there was an option to get the biopsy.  Other than the >fact that you know how damaged your liver is, what other need is there to >really go through this?  How about the ultrasound?  Thanks.

Unfortunately, the ultrasound doesn’t show fibrosis. There are some interesting developments that might eliminate the need for biopsies in the future (blood tests and CAT scans), but neither is very reliable yet. You could ask your doc about a Fibrotest or Fibrospect blood test, that’s on the market and not overly costly. If that test shows a high fibrosis level, you may not need to go through a biopsy, you know you have to treat. But if it doesn’t show fibrosis, you can’t rely on that, so you’d still have to do a biopsy in the end. Biopsies aren’t that much of a problem anymore, the complication rate has dropped significantly over the past decades. They usually now do an ultrasound-guided one so they don’t poke around in the dark. They’re not my idea of fun, but I went through a few without significant pain. Thomas — To reach me, complete my last name in the address.

Response: