Liver Cancer Treatment : There are different types of treatment for people with liver cancer. Healthcare providers currently use some treatments as standard methods, while researchers are testing others in clinical trials.
ON THIS PAGE
- Types of treatment
- Treatment of localized liver cancer
- Treatment of locally advanced or metastatic liver cancer
- Treatment of recurrent liver cancer
Types of treatment
Surveillance
Surveillance used for lesions smaller than 1 centimeter found during screening. Follow-up every 3 months is common. Surveillance is closely watching a person’s condition but not giving any treatment unless there are changes in test results that show the condition is getting worse. During active surveillance, certain exams and tests are done on a regular schedule.
Surgery
A partial hepatectomy (surgery to remove the part of the liver where cancer found) may be done. A wedge of tissue, an entire lobe or a larger part of the liver, along with some of the healthy tissue around it removed. The remaining liver tissue takes over the functions of the liver and may regrow.
Liver transplant
Surgeons remove the entire liver and replace it with a healthy donated liver during a liver transplant. They may perform a liver transplant when the disease confined to the liver and they find a suitable donated liver. If the person must wait for a donated liver, doctors provide other necessary treatments in the meantime.
Ablation therapy
Ablation therapy removes or destroys tissue. Different types of ablation therapy are used for liver cancer.
- Radiofrequrncy ablation: Special needles are inserted directly through the skin or through an incision in the abdomen to reach the tumor. High-energy radio waves heat the needles and tumor which kills cancer cells.
- Microwave therapy: The tumor exposed to high temperatures created by microwaves. This can damage and kill cancer cells or make them more sensitive to the effects of radiotion and certain anticancer drugs.
- Percutaneous ethanol injection: A small needle is used to inject ethanol (pure alcohol) directly into a tumor to kill cells. Several treatments may be needed. Usually local anesthsia is used, but if the person has many tumors in the liver general anesthsia may be used.
- Cryoablation: An instrument used to freeze and destroy cancer cells. This type of treatment also called cryotherapy and cryosurgery. The doctor may use ultrasound to guide the instrument. Learn more at Cryosurgery to Treat Cancer.
- Electroporation therapy: Electrical pulses are through an electrode placed in a tumor to kill cancer cells. Electroporation therapy is being studied in clinical trials.
Embolization therapy
Embolization therapy used for people who cannot have surgery to remove the tumor or ablation therapy and whose tumor has not spread outside the liver. Emolization therapy is the use of substances to block or decrease the flow of blood through the hepatic artery to the tumor. Liver Cancer When the tumor does not get the oxygen and nutrients it needs, it will not continue to grow.
The liver receives blood from hepatic portal vein and the hepatic artery. Blood that comes into the liver from the hepatic portal vein usually goes to the healthy liver tissue. Blood the comes from the hepatic artery usually goes to the tumor. When the hepatic artery blocked during embolization therapy, the healthy liver tissue continues to receive blood from the hepatic portal vein.
There are two main types of embolization therapy:
- Transarterial embolization (TAE): A small incision (cut) made in the inner thigh and a catheter (thin, flexible tube) inserted and threaded up into the hepatic artery. Once the catheter in place, a substance that blocks the hepatic artery and stops blood flow to the tumor injected.
- Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE): This procedure like TAE except an anticancer drug also given. The procedure can be done by attaching the anticancer drug to small beads that are injected into the hepatic artery and then injecting the substance to block the hepatic artery. Most of the anticancer drug trapped near the tumor and only a small amount of the drug reaches other parts of the body. This type of treatment also called chemoembolization.
Targeted therapy
Targeted therapy is a type of treatment that uses drugs or other substances to identify and attack specific cancer cellsTargeted therapies used to treat advanced liver cancer include:
- bevacizumab
- cabozantinib
- lenvatinib
- ramucirumab
- regorafenib
- sorafenib
Learn more about targeted therapy and its side effects at Targeted Therapy to Treat Cancer.
Clinical trials
For some people joining a clinical trial may be an option. There are different types of clinical trials for people with cancer. For example a treatment trial tests new treatments or new ways of using current treatments. Supportive care and palliative care trials look at ways to improve quality of life especially for those who have side effects from cancer and its treatment.
You can use the clinical trial search to find NCL-supported cancer clinical trials accepting participants. The search allows you to filter trials trials based on the type of cancer, your age, and where the trials are being done. Clinical trials supported by other organizations can be found on the Clinical Trials. gov wedsite.
Learn more about clinical trials, including how to find and join one, at Clinical Trials Information for Patients and Caregivers.
Treatment of recurrent liver cancer
Treatment options for recurrent primary liver cancer may include:
- total hepatectomy (surgry to remove all the liver) and liver transplant
- partial hepatectomy (surgery to remove the part of the liver where cancer found )
- ablation therapy
- transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and sorafenib as palliative therapy to relieve symptoms and improve quality of life