I created this account on July 28, 2014 [1] - I had(have?) stage IV Colon Cancer with liver metastases. I did a FOLFIRI regime with cetaximab, then a colon resection with a general surgeon.
My oncologist was great (ucsf medical center) - but the surgeon refused to address my liver mets - they were too large and distributed.
My wife found out about a specialist at Sloan-Kettering in Manhattan that uses something called a Hepatic Arterial Infusion Pump - a hockypuck that delivers 50x a chemo dose directly to the liver. That was implanted in my abdomen and I flew between SF and New York to get it refilled every 4 weeks for six months. Their surgeon then resected 75% of my liver. (Skipping a few steps here. I had another met that they couldn’t get surgically and they got it with 10 rounds of radiation.)
My company was very supportive and our health insurance picked up most of the cost - over US $2million (so far?)
I was hospitalized several times after the surgeries for post operative infections - in a way they seemed far more difficult for the doctors to address than the cancer itself.
Oh, while the Cetaximab shrank the tumors, the skin rash it caused was absolutely wretched - my cuticles would bleed and had to wear finger cots and gloves to protect them. And my eyelashes grew about 3x their normal length.
>My company was very supportive and our health insurance picked up most of the cost - over US $2million (so far?)
This is the first time I'm hearing something good about a insurer in a very long time, That too for a such a large amount. I presume it's likely because you work for a large client and they're very supportive. I'm glad this is happening.
Meanwhile, I have bone related issues(Achondroplasia) and the insurers here(tied up major international brands) outright deny me a health insurance policy[1] against the guidelines of regulatory body and numerous supreme court verdicts on related scenarios.
After COVID disaster, It seems like the health insurers don't even try to wear their disingenuous masks anymore.
Thanks for sharing your story. It's a good reminder about how oncology is still as much as art as a science, and outcomes vary widely depending on whether you have access to the right providers.
My oncologist was great (ucsf medical center) - but the surgeon refused to address my liver mets - they were too large and distributed.
My wife found out about a specialist at Sloan-Kettering in Manhattan that uses something called a Hepatic Arterial Infusion Pump - a hockypuck that delivers 50x a chemo dose directly to the liver. That was implanted in my abdomen and I flew between SF and New York to get it refilled every 4 weeks for six months. Their surgeon then resected 75% of my liver. (Skipping a few steps here. I had another met that they couldn’t get surgically and they got it with 10 rounds of radiation.)
My company was very supportive and our health insurance picked up most of the cost - over US $2million (so far?)
I was hospitalized several times after the surgeries for post operative infections - in a way they seemed far more difficult for the doctors to address than the cancer itself.
Oh, while the Cetaximab shrank the tumors, the skin rash it caused was absolutely wretched - my cuticles would bleed and had to wear finger cots and gloves to protect them. And my eyelashes grew about 3x their normal length.
[1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8095321