meastatic breast cancer in the liver

[grandmajr]

I have metastatic breast cancer in the liver. My doctor has told me the lesions are enlarging in spite of numerous different chemos we have tried. He tells me that with each new chemo that doesn't work that it lessons the chance for the next one to work.Is he pretty much telling me to go home andlive with it? Is there no other alternative? Can the liver get radiation or any type of surgery to stop the cancer or was chemo the only choice?

[surgeon]

surgery for metatstatic cancer in the liver, especially it there are several spots, generally isn't done. There are ways to treat the tumors with modalities such as heating or freezing, using ultrasound or other xray guidance. It would be considered investigational (research) in your situation, but you could inquire of your docs whether there are centers in your region doing it.

[CCF-RN,MSN-rf]

Dear grandmajr:  Aside from chemotherapy or hormone therapy if your cancer is estrogen/progesterone receptor positive, options for liver metastasis depend on the number and location of the tumors.  If there is a limited number of tumors (6 or less) and they are not consuming more than 20% of the liver there may or may not be surgical options, including radiofrequency ablation.  Of course, this assumes that any other disease is stable or absent.  Radiation to the liver is not usually an option.  If this is inoperable, chemo is probably the only choice.