Spots on Your Liver
With cirrhosis comes scans and look-sees at your liver every 6 months. Lately, I’ve been hearing all this talk about spots on the liver. Is it cancer? Are they nodules? What if it’s just a lesion? When doctors start talking about any shadows on a your liver, it’s a huge blow. Your mind gets numb. It’s like you can hear what’s going on around you, but you can’t. So you stare and ask a bunch of questions. Never mind that you won’t remember the answers. This blog answers some of your questions about spots on your liver.
What we want to know: Is it cancer or not cancer? I knew that day that it was malignant. My doctor and nurse said additional testing would take place, but I knew them well enough to see the look in their faces. The wondermous screening done today allows doctors to see quite a lot. If they tell you not to worry after the MRI, don’t worry.
You’ll probably start with an ultrasound. Then the CAT Scan, and then they’ll move toward an MRI. You may have some waiting time and here’s some info that just may comfort you!
Spots on Your Liver
Benign –Noncancerous or Malignant – Cancerous– The scans will tell your doctor if it’s a killer or not. Some spots show up as solid masses and others are fluid filled. Some have a blood supply, while others do not. Many of these spots are not even a cancer and they never will be. Others can be the beginning of cancer. It’s hard to pin down so lets talk about it.
Liver Adenoma is not very common. It’s really rare in men and in women, it can arise because of hormone replacement or oral contraceptives. Most doctors will stop the hormone and the tumor will shrink.
Hyperplasia is often confused with an adenoma. It is fairly common and doesn’t need treatment. Don’t be surprised if your doctor doesn’t get real uptight with this one.
Fatty Change can show up as a spot on your liver. This is usually caused by fatty liver disease where the fat distribution is not even. No treatment is required.
Hemangioma tumors are fairly common in both men and women. They don’t have any symptoms and rarely need treatment.
Cyst – Sometimes it is simply a cyst. Your doctor may or may not need to drain it. With Polycystic Liver Disease, they can multiply. Eventually, it may create a need for a liver transplant.
Granulomas appears as spots on your liver. They are inflamed areas that do not cause symptoms. The treatment is usually to find out what is causing the inflammation. It may be autoimmune, tuberculosis, or a any of a bunch of other infections.
Scary Spots on Your Liver
HCC or Hepatocellular Carcinoma rarely has any symptoms. It is the most serious spot that can be found on your liver. Primary liver cancer is when the tumor originates on the liver. From there it can spread to other parts of your body. Check out the awesome treatment options – See my blogs on Tace and Ablation It is also a fast track to a transplant. The goal is to keep the tumor shrunk and not spreading or multiplying while you wait on a transplant.
Metastatic Liver Cancer is when the cancer begins in another part of the body and then spreads to the liver. The liver is the filter for everything and that makes it easier to spread from there.
For those of you with cirrhosis, I hope your doctor is doing surveillance. (They actually use that word to describe testing) If you have a spot, Everything becomes scary. Know that, and prepare to feel like you got the wind knocked out of you. This feeling will go away…. Never. I still am blown away by the whole process. I’m post transplant now and can promise you that peace and hope are your best bets.
If you have a spot on Your liver, my heart goes out to you. I truly want you to gather up some hope while you’re waiting. Love Love, Karen:)
7 thoughts on “Spots on Your Liver”
Hello friend,
My liver is hurting these days. I was diagnosed in March with Stage 3 Papillary & Follicular Thyroid cancer. I had a Total Thyroidectomy on March 30 and underwent 100 mCi iodine radiation May 10, 2016. I now am exhausted with blisters in my mouth and throat. My voice comes and goes and I am hoarse most of the time… But my main fear is liver failure. The pain today is bad. I’ve emailed my Hepatologist and will hear from him tomorrow. I hope you are well.
Joel, I didn’t know about the thyroid cancer. Thank you so much for posting today. I’m praying for you right now. The effects of the radiation sound awful. Are they giving you something to gargle? I still use a lot of Nystatin. I was just going to write about that again. Mouth pain can feel so acute.
Let’s just agree to believe that your liver is handling all of this beautifully. You can focus on other things and know that your body is going to function the way that it was created to. All cells are working perfectly in harmony with the medication and treatment to bring healing. Please keep me posted…
Much much love,
xo Karen
The Drs prescribed two different medications for my mouth/ throat. I am also using saltwater to gargle with 3-4 times daily. This will all be a memory very soon. God bless!
Joel
You are so right Joel, this will soon be a memory. It has been 4 years since Karen and I finished treating our HCV. When I treated I just had to remind myself I was going for the prize. I remember a magic mouthwash which was a mixture the doctor ordered for each patient. It had numbing chemicals in it. Since then Karen has been through liver cancer and a liver transplant. She is an angel from God put here to bring us hope and faith.
I love what Karen wrote to you so very much I don’t think I can add anything other than my prayers for you. Take care, HUGS Dee
Karen you were and are a true blessing to me. You always answered my questions over a 7 year period, from when I found the website to this day I think of you often. You are an Angel in my eyes 😎
Hi there Gary old friend,
We all seem to be concerned about the same things. Isn’t it good to know we’re not alone? You know that I’d research any concern that came up for you, don’t you? Angel… gosh… I’m going to accept that today. I needed to feel a piece of heaven. I don’t like the fat baby angels though… the cherubs? I like the big ones with swords all shining and stuff. hahaha. I love you.. xo Karen
I have to second Gary, Karen is an angel, she works tirelessly for everyone! She is so kind and giving, loving. Gosh I am crying now. She is a gift from God!
Thank you Gary! Dee
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