Liver Cancer

Primary liver cancer is a type of cancer that begins in the liver. There are several types:

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) or hepatoma is the most common type of primary liver cancer and begins in the liver's main cell type, the hepatocytes. Cholangiocarcinoma, or bile duct cancer, begins in the cells lining the bile ducts (which connect the liver to the bowel and gall bladder). Angiosarcoma begins in the blood vessels. This is a rare type of liver cancer that is more common in people over the age of 70.

Secondary liver cancer is cancer that began in another part of the body but spread to the liver. If you have secondary liver cancer, it may be helpful to read about the primary cancer as well as this information or about cancer of unknown primary.

A secondary cancer is named after the primary site where it began, such as bowel cancer with secondary liver cancer. We use the term "secondary cancer in the liver" to refer to any cancer type that has spread to the liver in this information.

Liver cancer is a potentially fatal disease and one of the fastest-growing cancer types. Primary and secondary liver cancer are the two types. Primary cancer begins in the liver. Secondary cancer spreads from another part of your body to your liver.

Liver cancer signs and symptoms

Liver cancer symptoms are more likely to appear as the cancer grows or becomes advanced.

Some Common Symptomsinclude:

Weakness and tiredness
Pain in the abdomen
Swelling of the abdomen due to a build-up of fluid (ascites)
Pain in the right shoulder
Loss of appetite and feeling sick
Weight loss
Yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice)
Pale bowel motions
Fever

Causes of liver cancer

Long-term (chronic) infection with Hepatitis B or C viruses can result in liver cancer. In Australia, this is the most significant known risk factor for primary liver cancer.

Other factors that can raise the risk of developing liver cancer include:

Fatty liver disease, genetic disorders such as haemochromatosis, or a lack of alpha 1-antitrypsin
Diabetes of type 2
Hepatitis B or Hepatis C
Consuming alcohol
Obesity
Consuming tobacco
Exposure to certain chemicals

Treatment for Liver cancer

Surgery is curative treatment of cancer.

Tumour ablation and chemotherapy delivered directly into the cancer are the most common othertreatments for primary liver cancer.

Targeted Radiotherapy ,Chemotherapy or a combination of surgery, chemotherapyand Radiotherapy are the most common treatments for secondary liver cancer.

Surgery : Surgery may involve the removal of a portion of the liver or a liver transplant, in which the entire liver is replaced by a donor liver.
Surgery may be appropriate for a small number of people with liver cancer, depending on the size, number, and location of the tumours.
A partial hepatectomy is surgery to remove a portion of the liver. If the remaining part of the liver is not damaged, it can usually repair itself and grow back to normal size over a few months after surgery. If there are tumours on both sides of the liver, surgery may be performed in two stages to allow the liver to regrow after the first procedure.
Some people cannot have a portion of their liver removed, and they may be considered for a transplant. Before a person is considered for a liver transplant, a number of factors are considered, including the person's overall health. Furthermore, a person must not smoke or use illegal drugs and must have abstained from alcohol for at least six months. A liver transplant may be possible; however, the wait for a suitable donor liver may be lengthy. During this time, most people are receiving other cancer treatments.
Tumour ablation : Tumour ablation is most commonly used to treat small primary liver cancers. It is rarely used to treat secondary liver cancer.
To heat and destroy cancer cells, the most common types of tumour ablation treatments employ Radiotherapy ,radio waves and microwaves. This treatment is delivered through the X Rays ( Radiotherapy ),skin with a needle (percutaneous ablation) or through a surgical cut (ablation with surgery).
Alcohol injection, in which pure alcohol is injected into the tumour to destroy cancer cells, and cryotherapy, which is surgery that freezes and kills cancer cells, are two less common types of ablation treatment.
Depending on the type of liver cancer, you may be given chemotherapy drugs to kill, shrink, or slow tumour growth.
Chemotherapy : Chemotherapy can be administered systemically, via tablets, or intravenously (via a drip), meaning it travels throughout the body. This may be administered after other treatments, such as surgery or cryotherapy, to eliminate any remaining cancer cells. It is usually not used to treat primary liver cancer unless it has spread to other parts of the body.
Systemic chemotherapy can also be used as palliative care to slow cancer growth and alleviate pain.
Chemoembolisation : Chemoembolisation (or TACE) refers to the administration of chemotherapy directly into the tumour. Because it is directly targeting the tumour, stronger drugs can be used. TACE is more commonly used in the treatment of primary liver cancer.