Individual results may vary. Talk to your physician about the risks and benefits of the therapy and to find out if the 3000 HAI Pump is right for you.
Diagnosis: Stage 4 colorectal cancer liver metastases
Age at diagnosis: 50
Hope has always pursued a lifestyle of being a yoga instructor, working out, and healthy eating. But in March 2022, she received news that didn’t fit her image of being healthy – she was diagnosed with rectal cancer that had spread to her liver. Her tumor mass was inoperable.
Hope started doing her own research on treatment options. “That’s the kind of person I am, my brain’s wired like that,” she said. Hope found out about HAI therapy and soon connected with a patient social media group for colorectal cancer liver metastases. There, she learned more by talking with patients and caregivers who had previously experienced HAI therapy.
Hope was interested in pursuing HAI therapy as a treatment option, but her initial provider did not have an active HAI program. She wanted to get input from a provider with firsthand experience, and she found another facility close to her that offered HAI therapy and was able to get a second opinion.
Hope’s new provider thought she was a good candidate for HAI therapy, and Hope had her HAI pump implanted in December 2022. The goal was to shrink her tumor mass to make her a candidate for surgery to remove it. As she continued in active treatment, her tumor mass was shrinking, and her care team decided she was ready to have it removed.
At the time of her liver resection in November 2023, after 11 rounds of HAI therapy, Hope’s liver tumor mass had shrunk from 6.7 centimeters prior to HAI therapy to 1.1 centimeters. Her initial tumor mass was completely removed during her resection, and her HAI pump stayed in as back up in case she needed it again the future. When Hope experienced a recurrence in her liver, her HAI therapy was able to be reactivated because the pump was still present, and she subsequently returned to getting clear scans.
Hope continued teaching yoga and working out nearly every day since her initial diagnosis and since receiving her pump. She appreciated that HAI therapy did not add additional systemic side effects compared to IV chemo. While she has made some adjustments – such as with her weight training and shifting from hot yoga to regular yoga – Hope maintained her lifestyle and continued to pursue her passions. She also stays active on social media and appreciates a chance to interact with other patients who are going through similar experiences.
“When I started my journey, my kids were 10 and 13,” said Hope. “As their sole caregiver, I’m immensely grateful for my time with them.”