i have secondary liver cancer,and currently being investigated as they cannot find primary site.i see an oncologist on tuesday to dicuss treatment.what should i ask?

	Asked by chair75 (Female; 48; healthy until diagnosed for cancer.had liver biopsy which suggests breast or ovary primary but no evidence of cancer on ultra sound.i have had a pet/ct scan and will get results on tuesday.; Relevant drugs:on anti sickness tablets and medication for constipation due to liver cancer ) on Fri 02, May 2008 11:52am :
	IM due to see my oncologist for the first time to dicuss secondary liver cancer treatment and aslo anyother cancer they may find.what should i ask?if they tell me they cant cure me would it be advisable to get second opion or just go with the treatment they offer.
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	Answer by Dr Paul S, MD (oncologist) on Fri 02, May 2008 08:54pm: Hi there. The most common cancers or tumors occurring in the liver are actually secondary cancers that come from other sites. The most common of the sites that metastasizes to the liver is colorectal cancers. Other sites include the pancreas, bile ducts, stomach and any structure in the peri-ampullary area (consisting of the duodenum, bile ducts and pancreas). Also, cancers above the diaphragm like lung and breast cancers can present with secondary liver metastases. When you meet with the oncologist, it is very important to tell him any symptoms pertaining to the possible sites discussed above. These symptoms can be bowel pattern abnormalities, yellowing of skin and sclerae (jaundice), vomiting, constipation, etc. In this case, the oncologist will have a clue regarding the possible etiology. Body scans such as MRI or CT scan may be warranted to look for the presence of any other tumors. Cancer tumor markers such as CEA (for colorectal cancer) or CA19-9 (for pancreatic cancer) can also aid in the diagnosis. If despite all the efforts, the primary tumor is still not seen, then the liver tumors can be treated locally through chemoembolization or radiofrequency ablation. Treatment can also come from systemic therapy (chemotherapy) directed to the cancer that the oncologist thinks is the most plausible cause (by preponderance of evidence). I hope you and your oncologist can get to the bottom of this soon. Regards and God bless. Thank you for using our service.  If you are satisfied with the answer or if you want a detailed answer for your question, please make a donation and request for further clarifications.  Our oncologists will provide an elaborate answer for your clarification.   Please make a donation by clicking the button below. You may donate using funds from your PayPal account or Credit Card. Please rate my answer (select the stars below, no need to log in.)
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