Treatment for Cancer of the Liver

The liver, the body's largest organ, plays an essential role in bodily functions. The liver helps the body absorb and store nutrients, and it also aids in removing waste. Liver cancer is a frequently seen cancer in the rest of the world, but it is rare in the United States. Liver cancer is usually metastatic cancer, meaning it started somewhere else in the body and moved to the liver. There are several treatment options for people diagnosed with liver cancer.

Radiation

• Radiation is a standard cancer treatment that uses X-rays to destroy or slow down the growth of liver cancer cells. The radiation can be delivered by a machine that beams radiation into the body or can be given through substances put inside the body. Some radiation is given by attaching radioactive substances to antibodies, which are then injected into the patient.

Chemotherapy

• Chemotherapy is another standard and well-known treatment for liver cancer. Chemotherapy is usually delivered to the body through drugs or intravenously. One type of chemotherapy, called regional chemotherapy, is often used for liver cancer. A surgeon implants a pump into the body that contains the chemotherapy drugs. The pump sends the drugs into the blood vessels. Another treatment involves injecting the drugs directly into the liver.

Surgery

• If the cancerous tumor in the liver is still small, the surgeon may be able to remove just that part of the liver. Some patients have liver transplant surgery. The cancerous liver is removed and replaced with a healthy donor liver.

Freezing and Heating Cells

• A procedure called cryoablation freezes cancerous cells in the liver. Liquid nitrogen is delivered directly to the tumors. This treatment is often used with other liver cancer treatments, or it may be the only treatment for some patients. With radiofrequency ablation, the surgeon uses extreme heat to kill the cancer. By putting thin needles into the abdomen, the surgeon guides them into the tumor. Using an electric current, the heat can destroy the cancer.

Other Treatments

• Alcohol injection is another form of treatment. Alcohol is put directly into the tumor. Because alcohol causes the tumor's cells to dry out, the tumor will die. Immunotherapy is sometimes used for liver cancer treatment. Healthy substances are added to the patient's immune system to aid the body in fighting disease. Cancer specialists have had success with a drug called sorafenib (brand name Nexavar). This drug keeps the cancerous tumors from making new blood vessels that grow and spread.