AJ's Journey with Bile Duct Cancer

Updated 12/28/23

Anthony (AJ) and Lynne Fay could use your love and support as they navigate AJ’s medical diagnosis while raising their three young kids; Anthony Jr - age 5, Michael - age 3, and the newest addition to their family, Julianna, born this past March 2023.

On Thanksgiving Day 2022, AJ started experiencing health-related issues. This resulted in him being hospitalized where they found a mass blocking his bile ducts.

In December 2022, he had procedures to open up the bile ducts, biopsies, scans, awaiting test results and numerous doctor appointments.

By January 2023, AJ and his family received the heartbreaking diagnosis of Cholangiocarcinoma; a rare, aggressive, difficult to diagnose and treat Bile Duct Cancer in the liver. In the beginning, it had not been found in the surrounding lymph nodes or elsewhere in the body, so treatment options were available at that time. Starting the end of January 2023, he received chemotherapy and immunotherapy to fight the tumor from growing in size and the cancer cells from spreading.

In response to the diagnosis, they had reached out to some of the top hospitals in the country for their opinions. They found out a liver transplant was the only option that would dramatically increase the life expectancy of someone facing Bile Duct Cancer. Therefore, in February and March, they traveled to The Mayo Clinic in Minnesota and to UPMC in Pittsburgh, PA to have AJ evaluated for a liver transplant.

In April 2023, AJ was approved for both a deceased liver transplant through The Mayo Clinic in Minnesota AND for a partial live liver donor transplant through UPMC Pittsburgh, so the search for a donor match was started. At the end of April, AJ temporarily moved to MN (with his dad, Ed) to complete a specific pretreatment regimen of chemotherapy and twice daily radiation for 5 weeks. After completing the final procedure of brachytherapy (internal radiation on the tumor directly), AJ was able to come home to Rochester, NY just in time to take his kids to the Memorial Day parade.

After returning home he was placed on an oral chemotherapy drug and the waiting began as the hospitals were working behind the scenes to find/await for a liver donor match for AJ.

The amount of people that turned in their applications to be screened to be a partial live liver donor through UPMC Pittsburgh was outstanding. Everything was kept confidential but whenever they called to check in, they were always informed that there was a running waitlist as only 3 people could be screened at a time and for that they are forever thankful and grateful for those of you who volunteered to try to save his life. Thank you, from the Fays.

There were a few bumps in the road that summer; from CT scan results, a delay in being listed for a deceased liver at the Mayo Clinic in Florida and an emergency stent replacement but then things turned a quick corner as they found out a partial live liver donor match had been found the last week of July. AJ's childhood friend's mother, Lisa Shutt, was their living-on-earth angel that was a match for AJ and scheduled the transplant surgery on the soonest date possible…which was her very own wedding anniversary, August 17th.

A day that was filled with hope, nervous excitement, positivity… quickly turned devastating from the news that while AJ was on the operating table, undergoing the preliminary exploratory surgery, they found that the Cancer had spread from the liver to his abdominal cavity giving him the diagnosis of secondary peritoneal carcinomatosis. A terminal, stage 4 cancer diagnosis. With the detection of any cancerous cells outside of the liver, it disqualified him from being a transplant recipient and they had to close him up without Lisa's partial liver donation. His name has also been removed from the deceased liver transplant list through the Mayo Clinics.

AJ and the family stayed in Pittsburgh for an additional week plus as his body recovered from the exploratory surgery and they emotionally prepared to return back home to Rochester, NY.

Once home, AJ started back up on chemotherapy and immunotherapy the first week of September. He was put on the same plan and regimen as back in January, with two weeks “on” and one week “off” from infusions then it gets repeated and monitored. He had taken some time off of work to heal from the surgery but then once cleared from his doctors, he returned to work after Columbus Day in October. In order to keep the bile flowing through the liver, he receives bile duct stent replacements as needed, which has been needed every 3-4 weeks. And from there just taking it one day at a time.

Where they are at now in this journey is: AJ keeps fighting! He will continue chemotherapy and immunotherapy as long as his body tolerates it well to slow down the progression. If his oncologist believes from his bloodwork and hospital stays that he needs a break from chemo… AJ will do so but will continue receiving the immunotherapy injections until his body recovers and rebounds. After any breaks from chemo, CT scans will be performed to see where he is at in the progression of the disease, then back in chemotherapy. He is continuing to work as long as it is safe for him to do so and has maintained a positive, humble, appreciative of everyday, grateful to be with family mentality and is/will do anything in his power to keep going! His will and drive is STRONG but any extra prayers/well wishes of strength, love, kindness, grace, peace, resilience is appreciated.

Donations are not needed but any contributions made will go directly to help AJ's medical needs, lodging expenses, plane fare, gas, help for his family when he is away, or the possibility of at-home medical care down the road if deemed necessary. Your offerings of financial support will allow AJ and Lynne to focus their energy and time on helping AJ fight his battle with cancer. And more importantly your prayers, well wishes and continued love and emotional support are welcomed, cherished and greatly appreciated. Thank you for all of your support!