Liver Cancer
| Causes & symptoms | The Diagnosis | Questions |  |
Treatment
Your doctor will plan your treatment taking into account a number of factors, but the main factor will be whether the cancer is primary or secondary liver cancer.
Other factors will include:
your age
general health
The type and size of the cancer
Although chemotherapy can cause unpleasant side effects some people have very few side effects at all. Any side effects that do occur can often be well controlled with medicine.
- Surgery
Surgery is the main treatment for primary liver cancer. An operation to remove the affected part of the liver, is called a liver resection. If the operation removes a whole lobe of the liver, it is called a lobectomy.
- Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the use of special anti-cancer (cytotoxic) drugs to destroy cancer cells. The drugs work by disrupting the growth of cancer cells.
Chemotherapy is sometimes given as tablets, but is more usually given intravenously (by injection into a vein) or directly by injecting the drug into the artery (blood vessel).
It may also be given as an alternative to surgery which might then only be necessary if a recurrence of the cancer is found later on. Your doctor will discuss these options.
Although chemotherapy can cause unpleasant side effects some people have very few side effects at all. Any side effects that do occur can often be well controlled with medicine.
New Treatments
Cryotherapy
In cryotherapy treatment a device called a cryoprobe is inserted into the centre of the tumour during an operation. Liquid nitrogen is then passed through the probe. This freezes the surrounding area and destroys the cancer cells.
In cryotherapy treatment a device called a cryoprobe is inserted into the centre of the tumour during an operation. Liquid nitrogen is then passed through the probe. This freezes the surrounding area and destroys the cancer cells.
Chemoembolisation
This treatment involves mixing chemotherapy drugs with an oily substance called lipiodol. The mixture is then injected into the liver through a tube inserted into the main artery feeding the liver (the hepatic artery).
Laser treatment
This treatment uses a laser to destroy the cancer cells. A fine needle is inserted into the centre of the tumour. A very powerful laser light is then passed through this needle and into the tumour.
