By: Ashley Harding
aharding@klkntv.com
Treating liver cancer is a little easier now thanks to a new procedure.
It's a non-invasive procedure and it's great for people who can't have actual surgery. Shirley Kovar had it in May, and she couldn't be more pleased.
She survived breast cancer, colon cancer, and most recently, liver cancer. These days, Shirley Kovar is feeling pretty good, and also pretty special. That's because a few months ago, she became the first patient in Lincoln to undergo chemoembolization. It's a procedure which attacks a tumor without going to the operating table.
"No nausea, no side effects, basically it was like going to be a night and getting up the next day," she said. Here's how it works: a small catheter is inserted through the skin and makes its way to the liver. Once in place, cancer fighting drugs are mixed together, and they start attacking the tumor.
In most cases, it stops the tumor from growing. Doctors say it can be a life-saver for patients like Shirley who may be too weak for traditional surgery.
"We as interventional radiologists know that we can't cure cancer 110 percent, but what we can do is delay the onset of the morbidity that's associated with liver tumors," said Interventional Radiologist, Dr. Rahul Razdan.
Although still in recovery, Shirley Kovar's plans are to get better and enjoy time with her husband Donald. For this Raymond woman, just having the option of going through a simple procedure as opposed to surgery has been a blessing she hopes more people will experience.
"I think it's wonderful. I mean, if you had a choice of standing on a bridge and looking at the water or jumping in, which would you do? I'd stand on the bridge and look at the water," she said.
In a few weeks, Shirley will have a checkup to find out if the procedure worked for her. She says she's confident that it did just fine.
