Heart Cancer Surgery

Question: Can people with leaky heart valves have colon cancer surgery safely? My dad is 71years old. His valve is leaking 30 percent. He gets short of breath sometimes. Is surgery safe for him

Answer: You need to ask the doctor. However, if he has colon cancer and he doesn't have it removed he is going to die. My aunt had colon cancer. It's very painful and very deadly. My grandmother had a tumor in her stomach the size of a grapefruit as well as a tumor in her spleen and esophagus. She had a heart attack in the early 90's and so her primary care physician did not think she should have the surgery. Her cancer specialist thought she would be able to make it since she was always really active (cooking, cleaning, etc, even though she was 80). She decided to have the surgery because she knew there was a 100% chance that she would die without having the surgery. She had surgery back in May and is still living today. She had to have a feeding tube attached to her small intestine and requires a lot of care but, thankfully, she is still here.

Question: Is there more risk of infection in a patient that has a leaky heart valve with colon cancer surgery?

Answer: There is always a risk of infection with any surgery.

Question: if someone has an enlarged heart and has cancer can they still have surgery? i have a associates claims she has cancer but she has to go to argentina to get it cured she say it started from her ovaries and spread to her breast and now she say the doc wont do surgery because her heart is enlarged...but she already started kimo could this be true but she say s she has to do the surgery over there in argentina because thousands of dollers cheaper also can be cured in three weeks

Answer: Before anyone has surgery, a chest xray is done, as well as an EKG which a test on the heart. These 2 things are done to evaluate a persons health, and decide if they are medically stable to withstand the surgery. If on the chest xray they saw an "enlarged heart", they would probably consult a cardiologist. Often, patients need what is called "cardiac clearance" for surgery, which is basically a cardiologist examining the patient and all of the test results, and deciding if they think the patient is safe to have the surgery. Although having an "enlarged heart" sounds pretty minor, it could be a sign that someone has congestive heart failure, in which case, many times, patients are not safe to have surgery. A lot of times, people without medical knowledge use simple terms, such as "enlarged heart" when the degree of heart problems or failure are not truly described. Therefore, I would say it sounds entirely true that this person you know is telling the truth.

Question: If you have heart cancer, would you get a heart transplant and what is the soonest they would schedule one? I don't care if you look it up, I'm just feeling lazy. Make sure you post the website. I'm trying to prove that someone is lying. I know it might be a touchy subject...... D: It's not possible that a person could go into heart surgery for a transplant about a week after they learn they have heart cancer is it? And if the person did (this one doesn't have to be answered, just a bonus) then is it possible that they could use the computer 1-2 weeks afterward?

Answer: I'm feeling lazy too.

Question: Is colon cancer surgery risky in a 71 year old with heart problems?

Answer: The patient should have his medical condition, treatment options, and associated risks explained prior to any major procedure. Surgery is a risk for all people, a greater risk for seriously ill people, and that risk is aggravated by complicating factors such as heart disease. The doctor's treatment plan must balance the potential benefits of the surgery versus the surgery's risks versus the prognosis if surgery is not performed. Generally speaking, the best way to eradicate cancer is through surgery. Chemotherapy may be effective, partially effective, or ineffective. Radiation is typically effective for localized treatment, but may produce significant side-effects. Best wishes for agood outcome.

Question: My father in law is caughing up clear fluid.He has heart blockage & cancer in his lung should we be concerned? He has spots on his lung, but the doctors haven't specified if it's cancer or not. They believe it is. The spots have not grown in 6 months or more. He is too weak to undergo chemo therapy. The blockage in his heart is major and he is also too weak to undergo open heart surgery. What are your feelings on this?

Answer: My feelings would be amazing that he's so weak. Is he weak due to the stress level or the actual body functions of being stressed. Let me explain. Stress can take a big part of a person's life. It makes them feel weak. If the heart is blocked it must be pumped out. If it doesn't get pumped out he can die. Technology can assist with his weakness for open heart surgery. I don't understand why doctors haven't done this surgery. Is it your father in law who refuses treatment? My mother had heart problems and needed heart surgery and she refused than died. The clear liquid of course needs to be checked. It could be pneumonia. I was told that a person's lungs does get congested and the best solution would be to cough it up. As long as the cough liquid don't turn red. It's a bad sign that the spots turned into a tumor or cancer. Coughing up blood is a bad indication for Cancer. Just go see a doctor ASAP.

Question: My girlfriend is having surgery to remove cancer tha has attached to her heart...?? This is what I know.. They are planning on injecting her heart to completely stop it so they can use a scaple to remove the cancer mass.... The only thing I have heard of to allow them to do this is to use a heart-lung machine during surgery... The surgery is supposed to last for a few hours so is there anything else that you have heard of to allow them to stop the heart for that long? And have you ever or know anyone who has has cancer around thier heart? Please respond quickly she is going into surgery now and she is in washington and I am in california so its really hard on me right now... And please dont sugar coat it to make me feel better.. give it to me straight please!

Answer: They will not stop her heart until they are ready to remove the mass, not when they begin the surgery. They have a lot to cut through and push out of the way before they are ready to remove the mass, and a lot to put back together before they close her up. It is not clear from your question if she is going on a heart lung/bypass machine or not. If you can clarify that for us, we could answer this question more thoroughly. I will keep both you and your girlfriend in my prayers, I hope for the best for her and the two of you. Since I do not know her and her case personally, that is really about all that I can help you with. Blessings and peace be with you and your beloved.

Question: My dad is having colon cancer surgery next week. Problem is he has a leaky heart valve. Is it ok safe? I am just scared to death. Want to make sure he is going to be ok

Answer: Tuke1 - Please know that in hospitals today, before the surgeon operates on your dad, the surgeon must get a "medical clearance" from another doctor that the patient is well enough to undergo the operation. For your dad, it is quite likely, if not routine, for your dad to be examined before any surgery by a heart physician (cardiologist) who will know about and evaluate his leaky heart valve. With clearance, all should go well. It appears that colon surgery is needed and should improve your dad's chances for the future.

Question: CAN i have surgery for prostate cancer with a recent heart attack i also have a pacemaker what r the risk?

Answer: Lisa, Unless you are a man you cannot have prostate cancer surgery. j

Question: Do you need different types of medical insurance for long-term illnesses, long-term stays, cancer, surgery? Or is just a basic health insurance policy all you really need? Also why do hospital ER's charge so much even just for nothing. Just to show up, get checked out, and be discharged in an hour for nothing, costs sommetimes about $1000+, and if you don't have insurance , you're just scr0wed. So I'm assuming that if something major DID happen to you, if you got diagnosed, or if you had cancer, heart problems, required surgery, or have something wrong with you long-term, are there other insurances which are beneficial for that? The insurance that I have is very good and they cover alot of expenses, and if they're bad on anything it's behavioral health, but they even offer hospice and other types of things. However, if I were to need to stay in a hospital for several days, months sometimes, or who knows, for more important things,... how would I be able to afford that, what type of insurance would I need for that? I want to plan ahead, because you never know, and I don't want to end up getting suck with 1000000 bills that I cannot afford in the future. Thanks. Also why do doctors want you to keep coming back regularly, including specialists, if there's nothing wrong with you? It's like they want you to be sick and they want to keep "treating" you, but if you get better they lose business. And they mask/disguise this as a "well if you don't come regularly, you're just being cheap, or not taking your health seriously." I'm sorry I just have so many problems with the medical field.

Answer: These are some good questions. I was hoping we'd get some good answers.

Question: is it true that Dr. Munir Khan has any medicine to cure from breast cancer and heart problem.? I had heart surgery by pass during 1998. since that time I am not feeling comfort. Most of the time I feel pain even when I awakeup in the morning. I want to know if Dr. Munir Khan has really some sort of medicine which can cure the problem to clean my artries.

Answer: No. He sounds like what we Americans would call a snake oil salesman. In other words, give him money and you'll lose both your heatlh and your $$$.

Question: Does this mean there is nothing to worry about with the colon cancer surgery? My dad is 71 years old with a leaky heart valve. His cardiologist gave him clearance for the surgery. Does this mean there is nothing to worry about with the colon cancer surgery and that everything will go good

Answer: The use of anesthesia can cause cardiac arrhythmias as a side effect of the drug itself. If someone already suffers from atrial fribilation or a ventricular arrhythmias then they would be very concerned about surgery. There are many who suffer from leaky valves. That all by itself would probably not prevent surgery unless the leak was moderate to severe or in combination with other heart issues such as congestive heart failure. His cardiologist has determined that his heart condition would not add excessive risk to the procedure and has approved it. The real worry here is getting the ALL tumor out and checking the surrounding lymph nodes for spread. He should have already had a CAT scan to determine if they see things elsewhere. You don't list here in your post any of these results so hard to comment on this. Even if it is late stage colon cancer, a person still gets relief by surgery to remove an obstructed bowel. I will just let you know, my father had colon cancer diagnosed 7 years ago, had the surgery, was positive in 11 out of 21 lymph nodes for spread, had the lymph nodes removed at the same time, and followed 9 months of chemotherapy. He is still alive and doing well with no repercussions from the ordeal. He is now almost 82. Make sure you and your siblings get your colonoscopy every 5 years. Family history is an important predictor of issues for your generation. Getting diagnosed early and prevention by polyp removal makes this very survivable. Hope that helps

Question: My dad is having colon cancer surgery next week. Problem is he has a leaky heart valve. Will he be ok. Safe? I am just scared to death. I want to know if it is safe for him to have surgery and if he will make it

Answer: if it was unsafe, the doctor wouldn't do the surgery. Always ask his doctor i hope for the best for your dad

Question: My dad had open heart surgery three years ago, we just found out he had rectal cancer and a couple of spots on his liver. He went in for surgery last month and the Dr. found a massive spot of cancer on his liver, Dr said its the largest he has seen in the last 30 years and that my dad has had it 5 to 7 years. Dr. said he could not remove the cancer from liver he would have less than 20% of liver left and can not live without a liver. How come Berkley lab could not detect cancer in his blood 3 years ago, but detected he had a gene for alzheimer's. This is so hard for me to understand. Thank you for your comments.

Answer: I am very sorrt to hear this. CLICK TO ENLARGE The liver Your liver is a football-sized organ that sits in the upper right portion of your abdomen, beneath your diaphragm and above your stomach. Your liver processes most of the nutrients absorbed from your small intestine and determines how much sugar (glucose), protein and fat enter your bloodstream. It also manufactures blood-clotting substances and certain proteins. Your liver performs a vital detoxifying function by removing drugs, alcohol and other harmful substances from your bloodstream. Liver cancer occurs when liver cells begin to grow abnormally. It's not completely understood why this happens, but researchers believe that cancer starts with damage to DNA — the material that contains the instructions for every chemical process in your body, including the rate of cellular growth. DNA damage causes changes in these instructions. One result is that cells may begin to grow out of control and eventually form a tumor — a mass of malignant cells. Primary liver cancer Primary liver cancer is divided into several types based on the type of cells that become cancerous. Types include: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This is the most common form of primary liver cancer in both children and adults. It starts in the hepatocytes, the main type of liver cell. Cholangiocarcinoma. This type of cancer begins in the small tube-like bile ducts within the liver. This type of cancer is sometimes called bile duct cancer. Hepatoblastoma. This rare type of liver cancer affects children younger than 4 years of age. Most children with hepatoblastoma can be successfully treated. Angiosarcoma or hemangiosarcoma. These rare cancers begin in the blood vessels of the liver and grow very quickly. Metastatic cancer In the United States, most cancer found in the liver has spread there from another part of the body. Rather than being referred to as liver cancer, this type of cancer is usually named after the organ where it originated and is described as "metastatic." For instance, cancer that has spread to the liver from the colon is referred to as metastatic colon cancer. Metastatic cancers form when malignant cells detach from the primary cancer and travel through the body in the circulatory or lymphatic system. Cancers that begin in certain organs near the liver, such as the pancreas, can spread directly to the liver. Most metastatic cancers reach the liver through the bloodstream. Why the liver is so commonly affected by metastatic cancer isn't clear. One reason Complications People with liver cancer may sometimes experience the following complications: Liver failure. This occurs when the liver is no longer able to function adequately. It usually develops when there is extensive damage to liver cells. Kidney failure. The kidneys also may fail, losing their ability to filter fluids and waste and causing dangerous levels of these substances to accumulate in the body. Spread of the cancer cells (metastasis). Cancer that spreads to areas outside the liver becomes more difficult to treat. Liver cancer most commonly spreads to the lungs and bones.

Question: Are medical procedures such as heart attack, cancer, or something major very unaffordable even with insurance? I have great medical insurance and dental, through Aetna. The only downfall is that they ONLY cover 50% of psychiatric/psychology. Which is a shame, since I truly believe that this country can really use a better mental health care system. I've unfortunately been to the ER countless of times, due to being sick and asthma, but I'm working at better maintaining my health. The total expenses weren't too high, they were anywhere from $400 to $4000 ish, for one visit, the $4 grand one including full xrays, CT scan, ekg, etc, and with insurance they all came down to about $50 to $200 ish, after going through insurance, so it's not unreasonable, and they DO have payment plans. However, what if something major happened. Surgery, heart attack, cancer. Wouldn't that catapult the total costs into the $100,000 range? And even if I have insusrance then, how much would they cover? This really scares me. Should I be saving alot just in case? How do we prepare for this? Also do I need separate insurance to cover an extended stay in a hospital just in case, or is what I have now all you need? I'm confused, and scared, and what to take preventative measures before something awful happens/if something were to happen. to the first replyer: I understand that, but if you had a major heart attack or ongoing treatment, hospital stays for a long time, cancer, I doubt you'd just pay your $50 copay and that's the end of it.

Answer: You are right to be concerned because insurance companies have all manner of exclusions and "caps" on procedures so you will find many times if seriously ill (as with cancer or heart disease) that there is plenty that the insurance will not do a thing about. How do you prepare for this? If you can get a catastrophic medical care plan, that might be useful to you. Many people have two or more insurance policies--and for good reason. IF you are eligible for an HSA, that's a smart move. Find some info here: http://www.ustreas.gov/offices/public-affairs/hsa/faq_using.shtml Depending on what your income as well as debts, etc. are, you MIGHT be able to qualify for some reduction in expenses for treatment with "charity" care but hospitals are loathe to offer this information and apparently don't have to post their guidelines for them either. You WILL find that in many cases, if you speak with the financial department and offer to pay in a very short space of time (such as a week) that you CAN get a discount on something you owe. The tricky part is when you're really sick, you can't find the energy or brain power to do this usually. Also if you have insurance you really do NOT know what they will cover until it's a done deal--and they likely will try NOT to pay even if they are supposed to. Still, as soon as you get an EOB (Explanation of Benefits) from your insurance, look through and see why anything was denied. You may be able to appeal that decision. Also patient financial services SHOULD be willing to look at any substantial bill AND your policy and try to do something to help you. They'll say it's not their job, etc. and in some cases, probably could get in trouble, but let's get real: the average person can NOT afford what the hospital charges the uninsured (or insured who have something NOT covered) so something is going to have to give. You SHOULD be very concerned no matter what anyone says because more than half of all bankruptcies in the US are owing to medical bills AND many of those people ARE insured. The system does not work well for a variety of reasons. You may also be able to get assistance through a charitable organization or such if you get buried in debt. You will also want any denied portions of a bill examined carefully as hospital billing errors are common. People are simply going to have to get over the notion that being insured means they are TRULY protected financially. It's not the case (see bankruptcies). There's a ton of misinformation out there on insurance, health care, and more. Insurance policies tend to waffle on important issues and because of their "caps" trick, many times you are told something is covered, BUT YOUR financial liability will be in the tens of thousands or more. You need to do everything you can to get to a BOTTOM LINE accounting for anything expensive. In an emergency, this is NOT possible to do, however, which is why the above suggestions are offered. To be blunt, there are NO guarantees that you won't be bankrupted no matter how careful you are or if you have policies. One of the other smart things to do is to do everything you can to get yourself as healthy as possible. Your diet, amount of sleep, exercise, not smoking, not drinking (the resveratrol can be had in grape juice), not drugging, not participating in dangerous activities (from driving fast to texting while driving as well as obvious things like bungee jumping), and having a reasonable weight all help. Get a physical and listen to the doc's advice. Get YOUR lab work numbers in good shape--whatever that means for YOUR situation. Even people who feel well should have a physical with just that idea in mind. Also get a health care power of attorney--find someone you can trust in case you're unable to speak for yourself--so you get the treatment you'd ask for IF you were capable of doing it. (You can be unconscious for many reasons.) Kudos to you for recognizing you're vulnerable. Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, Oprah, and the current president of the US have nothing to worry about for medical bills. That's the complete list of people who should not be concerned in the US. Outside the US, many don't realize their national health has all manner of restrictions on what they can get--and when.

Question: Heart surgery question? A female who was 43 had open heart surgery (aortic valve replacement) that had complications, patient received pacemaker at the same time of heart surgery. The patient has multiple health problems besides the heart including past breast cancer and other health disease/surgeries. The patient is no 50 and is in need of Mitral and tricuspid valve replacement. Both are leaking severely and the heart is currently becoming larger. Open heart surgery will be scheduled 4-6 months from now. I don't know the exact pressure in each chamber of the heart, just "not good." Because of the complications in the first surgery and past problems, will this surgery be even riskier? What are some enhanced risks? Mortality rate increase? The patient is not me, but someone close to me. The heart problems were caused by extereme radiation when the patient was young. Patient is of normal height and weight and is active.

Answer: Cardiac surgery is always risky. You absolutely outweigh the risk of surgery with the risk of not having the surgery however, and living with leaking valves significantly reduces your quality of life and your life expectancy. Having had an AVR does not make it any more or less risky. Having an AV that works is actually good for any further surgeries! The drugs you take after having your AVR however, do make further surgeries more risky. (warfarin). You need to stop taking your warfarin at the time your doctor tells you (usually 7 days prior to having an operation) and this stopping of warfarin increases the risk you have of forming bloodclots. Clots are not cool to have and increase your risk of damage to other parts of your body. This risk is not great and your risk of keep taking the warfarin prior to having surgery is far greater. MV and tricuspid valve replacement scheduled for 6 months away seems an awfully long time. Why not sooner? How are your symptoms? If they are bad (breathlessness, less able to walk distances etc) they might move you up the list a bit. Can you go private? A new AV should work properly, and if you had not had the AVR your MV and tricuspid valve replacement would be even riskier. Therefore you cannot 'hypothetically' speak of 'enhanced' risk of your upcoming surgery (other than the warfarin which will cause massive bleeding if you keep taking it and it will potentially but unlikely cause clots if you stop taking it). Mortality is high with NOT having surgery so I do not think that you have a choice. Cardiac surgery complications are not very common but if they arise, they are or can be serious and can potentially dramatically increase your mortality changes. Look, just have the surgery ok. It is not optional to NOT have it. Live every day like it is your last anyway, like everyone should, and look after your health. Eat healthy, be the right weight for your height (for most people this means loose some weight) so your heart does not have to pump so hard, and make sure you are rested and ready for the op. Good luck!