advice/treatment for metastes to liver

  My family would appreciate advice/ personal experiences  with colon cancer that has spread to the liver.  My father was recently diagnosed at stage four.  He is recovering now from colon  resection.  Doctors found one significant tumor on far  end of liver and 2-3 very small dot sized spots  on second lobe.  The surgeon has said  that there would be no surgical options to treat the liver.  The family questions that...also welcome info on  treatments(surgical,chemical,alternative) that have/have not been successful. Prayers also helpful....
Dear ac,
I'm sorry to hear about your father's condition. Surgery has been performed on select patients with liver metastases from colon cancer. Prognostic factors include: stage of the primary tumor, number of metastases, disease-free interval prior to hepatic resection, size and location of metastases and age. Fifteen percent of patients with metastatic liver masses will have disease confined to the liver. Of these patients, only 30 percent will be amenable to hepatic resection. A patient over the age of 70, with stage C disease and who later develops three or more hepatic metastases is unlikely to benefit from hepatic resection.
A lot of research is being done in the field of colorectal cancer. The best approach is to take your father to a hospital with a cancer center. The Josephine Ford Cancer Center is affiliated with Henry Ford Hospital. An oncologist can help provide you with a number of chemotherapy and radiotherapy options that are available. Some centers infuse chemotherapy directly into the liver (FUDR hepatic intra-arterial infusion). This last option remains a controversial treatment option. I wish you all the best of luck and hope that your prayers are answered soon. I hope you find this information helpful.
This response is being provided for general informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice or consultation. Always check with your personal physician when you have a question pertaining to your health.
If you wish to be seen at our institution, please call 1-800-653-6568, our Referring Physicians' Office and make an appointment to see Dr. Muszkat, one of our experts in Gastroenterology.
HFHSM.D.-ym
*Keywords: colon cancer, liver metastases