4. Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy aims to stop the growth of tumors. It can also help relieve symptoms and even prolong the life of the patient.
Chemotherapy is usually administered in cycles and patients are given periods of rest to recover from the side effects. There are several types of chemotherapy for liver cancer, and each is suitable for different patients. In some cases, chemotherapy is given orally or intravenously.
3. Intraarterial Therapies
Intraarterial Therapies consist of placing a catheter into the hepatic artery. A substance is injected into the catheter to block the blood vessels. It blocks collateral arterial flow to the tumor.
The blocked blood supply deprives the tumor of nutrients and stops it from releasing hormones. Examples of such therapies are Transarterial Embolization (TAE), Transarterial Chemoembolization (TACE), Radioembolization (RE), and Hepatic Artery Infusion (HAI).
2. Liver Tumor Ablation
During ablation, heat or chemical agents are sent into the tumor. The goal is to destroy cancer cells without harming normal structures.
Unlike surgery, liver tumor ablation is a less invasive procedure. The ablation process typically takes less than two hours. It is used to treat or destroy single or multiple liver tumors.
1. Liver Transplant
During a liver transplant procedure, the diseased liver is removed and replaced with a healthy donor liver. The new liver will regenerate and regain its function. However, complications can occur during or after the procedure.
The patient must follow a regimen of post-transplant medicines to prevent the body from rejecting the new liver. Generally speaking, liver transplants are not very dangerous. However, there are some risk factors to consider.
For example, people with active viral infections and those who have a non-ideal liver are more at risk. Older adults also tend to have fewer long-term survival rates. The liver’s ability to grow back after surgery can be affected considering these risk factors.
These are liver cancer symptoms and treatments worth knowing about.