“Stage 4 liver cancer?”
The tumor is inoperable and is deep in the liver all thru barely can get up. The doctor says I should consider hospise now no more they can do what to expect as symtoms get worse.
Male | 55 years old
Complaint duration: approx.1yr 2months
Medications: oxys &morphine
Conditions: pain severe under rib cage down thru lower belly
4 Answers
Liver transplant
Hello. I am sorry to hear about your situation. I am not sure, though, about the diagnosis. Has a biopsy been done? Possible treatments depend on the tissue type of the tumor. I understand that your doctor is considering your overall health and ability to tolerate treatment without having severe side effects from the treatment.
Based on what you have described it sounds like hospice would be appropriate. They can help better with his pain control as that is part of their responsibility. He should he on a sustained release medication such as SR morphine or ER morphine in addition to the oxycodone. Doses should be enough to relieve his pain. As to future symptoms, pain can certainly escalate and would need to be addressed by the hospice. The most difficult to manage if it occurs is confusion. If his liver fails there may be significant confusion that would require medications. The other thing you will notice is he will eat less and less and get more and more fatigue and then not get out of bed at all. You cannot help his nutritional status so let him eat what he wants no matter how little.
If the liver cancer was caused by hepatitis C or hepatitis B, there may be some options. This is an area considered "experimental," but there is published data that shows antiviral drug treatment improves cancer outcomes.
