|
Diagnosis
and Management > HBV
And Liver Cancer > Treatment of Liver Cancer
Treatment
of Liver Cancer
The Asian
Liver Center at Stanford University  is one of the nation's
leading medical research institutions dedicated to hepatitis B and
liver cancer. All of the information about liver cancer treatment
has been excerpted from the Asian Liver Center's website. Read the
Full
Report.
Early diagnosis and aggressive intervention are key to improving
the prognosis of those diagnosed with liver cancer. Promising advances
in the treatment of liver cancer are also giving patients new hope.
Treatment of liver cancer is particularly challenging
when compared with other types of cancer because in addition to
the cancer itself, many patients have livers that have sustained
damaged by chronic hepatitis B resulting in cirrhosis and various
degrees of liver failure.
For each individual patient, the potential benefits of the various
treatment options must be balanced with the risk of liver failure
and how it affects the patient's quality of life.
Surgical
Treatment
When the tumor is small or deemed surgically resectable,
and the patient's liver condition is deemed fit for the planned
resection, surgical removal offers the best chance for long-term
survival. Despite complete removal of the tumor, patients
are still at risk for recurrent disease, and they need to be followed
closely long-term, especially during the first year when the risk
of recurrence is greatest.
Back to top
Nonsurgical
Treatment
For patients who are not suitable resection candidates for anatomic
or medical reasons, a number of treatment options, though limited
in effectiveness, are available or being investigated in an attempt
to control the disease long-term and with the aim of maintaining
normal quality of life.
- Traditional chemotherapy is generally ineffective,
causes many side effects that may severely impair the patient's
quality of life, and often does not prolong survival.
- Intrahepatic arterial chemoembolization or chemoinfusion
(TACE or TAC) has been adopted in the treatment of selected patients
with unresectable lesions by the Stanford Multi-disciplinary
Liver Tumor Clinic for the last four years. This treatment
is not suitable for patients who already have signs of moderate
liver failure and in patients with blockage of the portal vein.
Long-term treatments with TACE or TAC have been associated with
prolonged patient survival, and those who have good control or
shrinkage of the tumor may even become suitable candidates for
surgical resection or transplantation.
Back to
top
Liver
Transplantation
Liver transplant is a treatment option for HCC that are surgically
or medically unresectable, provided that the tumor is small (less
than 5 cm or fewer than 4 lesions), confined to the liver, and without
invasion into the blood vessels. More extensive tumors have a high
risk for early recurrence and death after liver transplantation.
After transplantation, the patient must receive either hepatitis
B immunoglobulin (HBIG) or lamivudine, or both, to prevent HBV reinfection
of the new liver.
Early diagnosis of small tumors is the only effective way
of improving the outcome of liver cancer treatment, and that is
only possible through screening of the high-risk population.
Visit the Asian
Liver Center at Stanford to learn more about their programs.
Back to top
Page last modified October 21, 2009
|
