California Hospital Offers New Hope for Liver Cancer Patients

David Gutierrez tried to convince himself the blood in his stool was anything but cancer. For months, the 47-year-old from California's Inland Empire ignored worsening symptoms until he couldn't anymore.

In October 2024, doctors delivered devastating news: stage 4 colorectal cancer that had spread to his liver. Months of chemotherapy and radiation followed, but the tumors in his liver remained too large for surgery.

Then on May 27, Gutierrez became the first patient at Loma Linda University Health to receive a hepatic artery infusion pump, marking a turning point in his fight for survival. The device delivers chemotherapy directly to liver tumors through the organ's blood supply, targeting cancer cells with higher doses while reducing side effects.

"I experienced no pain during the infusion," Gutierrez said. He has remained free of many traditional chemotherapy side effects in the days following treatment.

The pump offers new possibilities for patients whose cancer was previously considered untreatable. By shrinking liver tumors, doctors can sometimes make surgery an option where it wasn't before.

"About 50% to 60% of patients on this type of treatment can go from unresectable disease to being able to undergo surgery," said Dr. Emanuel Eguia, surgical oncologist at Loma Linda University Health. For select patients, this could mean the difference between managing disease and potentially curing it.

The Ripple Effect

The program brings advanced cancer care closer to home for thousands of patients across Southern California's Inland Empire and desert communities. Previously, patients seeking this treatment had to travel to Los Angeles, adding hours of driving to an already difficult journey.

Developing the program required months of coordination among surgeons, oncologists, pharmacists, nurses, and support staff. Loma Linda now joins a small group of Southern California hospitals offering the specialized treatment.

For Dr. Hamid Mirshahidi, medical oncologist at the Cancer Center, the program represents hope for patients who had run out of options. "This is a curative-intent approach for selected patients," he said.

Gutierrez credits his faith with carrying him through the darkest moments. "When they told me I had stage 4 cancer, it hit my family harder than it hit me," he said. "I've put it in God's hands."

He now encourages others not to ignore symptoms that seem minor. "I had friends reach out to me after I shared my story because they were having symptoms too," Gutierrez said. "I want people to know to get checked."

As Gutierrez continues treatment, combining the new pump therapy with systemic chemotherapy, his doctors will monitor whether the tumors shrink enough to make surgery possible. Through it all, his focus remains clear: "I've been a fighter all my life. I'm not giving up."