Luke Williams is only 44, a dad from North Ridgeville who expected to be chasing his kids around ballfields, not hospital corridors. Instead, he is in the middle of a fight with stage 4 colorectal cancer, leaning on a liver-targeted treatment his doctors hope will keep him on his feet and present for his family.
His cancer story started with a December 2022 colonoscopy that revealed a tumor roughly the size of a softball in his colon and multiple tumors on his liver. What followed was a grueling stretch of major surgery in June 2023, then radiation and several rounds of systemic chemotherapy. When the disease recurred in his liver, surgeons implanted a hepatic arterial infusion pump in June 2024. The device is refilled every two weeks, alternating chemotherapy with saline so the drug is concentrated in the liver while systemic side effects are limited. After everything he has been through, Williams has become vocal about screening, urging people to consider checks in their early 40s or even at 35.
Targeting Tumors While Sparing The Rest Of The Body
The pump is designed to send chemotherapy straight into liver tumors, which allows for higher doses in that specific organ and fewer of the classic whole-body side effects like hair loss and crushing fatigue, according to his doctors and family. As reported by Cleveland.com, Williams’ care team includes surgical and radiation oncologists who built a customized plan for him after the cancer returned to his liver.
How UH Is Using Hepatic Arterial Infusion
University Hospitals says its Seidman Cancer Center was an early adopter of the implanted hepatic arterial infusion, or HAI, pump and now runs a regional program offering liver-directed therapy for colorectal cancer that has spread to the liver. The hospital reports that HAI allows clinicians to deliver concentrated chemotherapy directly to the liver while cutting down on the widespread toxicities that typically come with systemic treatment. The center also operates a multidisciplinary colorectal-liver clinic that coordinates surgery, radiation and infusion care under one umbrella. University Hospitals details the HAI pump program and its role for select patients.
Rising Cases In Younger Adults And A Lower Screening Age
Colorectal cancer is increasingly hitting people under 50, even as screening and treatment improve. Nationally, the American Cancer Society projects about 158,850 new colorectal cancer cases and roughly 55,000 deaths in the United States in 2026. In response to shifting trends, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force now recommends that average-risk adults start screening at age 45 instead of 50, a move aimed at catching cancers earlier as more younger adults are diagnosed with advanced disease. Earlier detection is critical because a majority of cancers in adults under 50 are found at later stages when treatment options are more limited, the ACS notes. The American Cancer Society and USPSTF outline the national numbers and current screening guidance.
Local Numbers And The Screening Gap
Closer to home, the picture is not much rosier. Ohio Department of Health data cited by Cleveland.com show colorectal cancer was the second-leading cause of cancer death in Cuyahoga County from 2018 to 2022 and accounted for about 8% of new cancer cases during that period. The same data reveal that only about 29% of cases were caught early, while 63% were diagnosed at a late stage. Radiation oncologist Dr. Lauren Henke told Cleveland.com that only about one-third of people between 45 and 50 actually get screened, a gap advocates say helps explain why so many younger patients walk in with advanced disease. Cleveland.com reported the local figures and Henke’s comments.
Who Might Benefit And Where To Get More Information
HAI is not a cure-all or a quick fix. Hospitals emphasize that patients must be healthy enough for surgery and evaluated by a multidisciplinary liver clinic so surgeons, medical oncologists and radiation oncologists can coordinate the approach. University Hospitals recommends that patients talk with their providers about screening choices and treatment goals, and notes that its HAI program page explains eligibility and what to expect before, during and after pump placement and refills. University Hospitals provides program information for local patients who are considering liver-directed therapy.
