Liver Cancer

Liver cancer occurs when normal cells in the liver become abnormal and grow out of control into cancer.

Types of Liver Cancer

Primary Cancer

It is an uncommon type of liver cancer that originates in the liver.

Secondary or Metastatic Cancer

It is a more common type that indicates cancer which starts in another part of the body and spreads to the liver.

Signs & Symptoms of Liver Cancer

Losing weight without trying
Loss of appetite
Upper abdominal pain
Nausea and vomiting
General weakness and fatigue
Abdominal swelling
Yellow discoloration of the skin and the whites of the eyes (jaundice)
White, chalky stools

Treatment of Liver Cancer

Surgery

Surgery is used to remove the diseased part of the liver from the body. It helps treat smaller sizes of cancer or tumor.

Liver Transplant

It is used when the entire liver needs to be removed. The cancerous liver is replaced with a healthy liver from another person.

Ablation Therapy

This therapy is used in cases where the cancer cannot be removed. The cells are destroyed using heat, laser, or injecting a special acid or alcohol directly into the cancer.

Embolization

Embolization is a technique that blocks the blood vessels that feed the cancer cells. It is used when the cancer is large in size.

Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy for liver cancer may involve a technique called stereotactic radiosurgery. It simultaneously focuses many beams of radiation at one point in the body. This destroys the cancer cells and shrinks the tumor.