is there anyone here who has had a friend or loved one with liver cancer?

i recently found out my dad has liver cancer, not suprising considered the way he drank but i need some info before i go to the doctors with him.

at this point we only he was diagnosed a few weeks back and the doctor has apparently given him 6-9 months. now, we are not sure what is true yet as his girlfriend is quite old and has medical problems of her own. any research i've done states that doctor's always seem to give much longer than the patient actually survives. as for my dad, he looks to be in advanced stage due to his jauniced colour and weight loss.

any thoughts?

i just spent today at my aunts funeral, she died of bone cancer and was givien 2-3 weeks and lasted only a week and a half.

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Bry, I'm so sorry to hear this.

My mother was diagnosed with cancer in December and I know how horrible it is to try and deal with everything at once. I hope you find out all the most up to date and factual details soon, and that will help you to figure out what's really going on. My mother was actually given a short time to live, and after surgery, she is completely in the clear (touch wood). Bry, I was actually told a lot of really positive stories from people around me who'd had family members be diagnosed with very serious types of cancer and recovered and outlived the timespans their doctors predicted by a millionfold.
It goes without saying that my pmbox is your pmbox. xoxoxxoxo

My mom died of breast cancer 61 days ago .. She lived 12 years after her diagnosis but it eventually went to her liver, and her liver failed as a combination of the cancer and ketosis.
I was 5 when she was first diagnosed and I have no father to speak of so basically when she died I lost my whole family.
Though, her being diagnosed so early in my life, I suppose I learned to live with it as a normal part of childhood so I'm sure it's harder for you now.

Let me tell you, do not give up hope, ever.
When she was first diagnosed, they didn't know what tot hink. When she had a recurrence, they gave her 5 months. She lived another 6 YEARS.

If you want to talk, I am probably not the first one you'd go to because you don't know me and I don't know you, but nevertheless, I am always open to conversation in whatever capacity at any time.

Edit: I forgot to add that even after her liver had completely failed, the doctor still said she could last a few more weeks. She got out of the hospital and they didn't think she would. She had two and a half good weeks at home before her ammonia level got too high and she had to go back in. She went into a coma, and they gave her a day or two. Two days later, she WOKE UP , like they said she never would, and had another week where she was awake and talking before finally succumbing.

Will your father be home? Do you live with him? I know you said he has a girlfriend.. Have they clued her in on what to watch for? Because no one told me, and when my mom's ammonia levels got too high (due to liver failure) it was terrifying because I didn't know what to expect. Make sure whoever stays with him is prepared for what could happen.
And towards the end, don't let him take any antidiarrhoeals. I know that's gross, but I'm serious. It expedites death as far as I'm concerned when you're dealing with liver toxins.

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The greatest asset they all have is themselves. And yet does anybody promote that to them? Does anybody tell them that they are the greatest asset they have? Or are they steered to idol worship? Are they moved, are they motivated, are they inspired to look at the president or any politician as their only salvation? If they are, it's just a shame.

Doctors estimates are just that- they can really vary. They don't have a policy of too much or too little in stating them, they just go on roughly how long it has taken other people in similarly serious straits to die. My uncle died of liver cancer (he was an alcoholic). They told him he had three months to live, he went home that day, went to bed and died. In other cases, people hang on for months/years, particularly if they have a goal they are aiming for. You never know, your dad could be one of the lucky ones who lives for years, but try to prepare yourself for the fact he might well not be. I'm sorry for you

Maybe not liver cancer, I know people who have had a variety of cancers. To include myself.

The things I can suggest are, attitude is everything, find doctor you can trust and is open to alternative treatments. Educate yourself and let your father make an informed decision on his treatment. Hearing the words "you have cancer" can be a mind rape. No matter how good your prognosis is, hearing those words and strip you of a lot of power. Right now I would guess he need all the hope and empowerment he can get.

My story, I was diagnosed with bladder cancer something that strikes people in their 60's at the earliest, not always (obviously) but usually. I think the reason I got it so young was I lived within 2 miles of four superfund sites, and yes I live in Alaska. What the hell its not like any of us are rich, so dump your crap in our neighborhood. I know a lot of people hear have died from Cancer

At any rate, my prognosis was good. Nothing gets your attention like pissing pure blood. I got treated, and its been awhile since my last occurrence. Something about this last October, I went for my check up, the doctor claimed it came back. I saw what he was looking at, and it didn't look like the cancers I saw. I had another appointment, a few months later. When I dropped off my urine sample his nurse told me the growth he removed was benign. I now believe at least this time he had lied to be about the reoccurrence. During the time in question all the other test came back clean. I am finding another doctor. The moral of this, no matter how good you think your doctor is, if you cannot have a functioning relationship with them DROP THEM!