Liver Cancer Treatment

Each year around 7 lakh people are diagnosed with Liver cancer worldwide. It is considered as a disease, which occurs in the liver cells that affects overall liver functioning, and makes poor effects on the well-being. Oftentimes liver cancer symptoms are not easy to detect at the initial stage. However, as the illness increases it is identified through the signs of jaundice, sudden weight loss, abdominal pain, dizziness, diarrhea, swelling on stomach etc. 

Liver cancer another name is Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC). The main causes of liver cancer are experiencing infections from time to time, unique genetic disorders, chronic hepatitis B or C, over consumption of alcohol and more. The liver cancer treatments are surgeries, chemotherapy, targeted therapies and liver transplant, that manages symptoms and improves the patient’s overall condition and well-being. 

Different Types Of Liver Cancer

According to medical experts there are various types of liver cancers that can affect a person at any stage of life. Hence, understanding about these types of liver cancer are indispensable in order to get early diagnosis and treatment. Following are the primary types of liver cancers. 

1 Hepatocellular Carcinoma

It is found in hepatocytes in the bile ducts of the liver function, an important liver cell that contributes to entire liver functioning. The chances of this cancer happening are in those people who drink a lot and are suffering from stomach infections and hepatitis. 

2 Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma

Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma is known as bile duct cancer,  in the small bile ducts within the liver. It is less common than HCC, however, often detected at an advanced stage which makes it difficult to treat or operate.   

3 Hepatoblastoma

This is a rare kind of liver cancer that mainly affects children who are aged under five. This type of cancer is favorable to treat at the initial stage. 

4 Fibrolamellar

This type of cancer is mostly diagnosed in people who are between 20’s to 30’s and it is not commonly associated with infections and hepatitis. The main cause of Fibrolamellar cancer is distinct genetics. Available treatment for this cancer is surgery.  

5 Angiosarcoma and Hemangiosarcoma

This kind of unique liver cancer developed from the blood vessels within the liver in the body. It tends to be highly effective and often get worse over time and make treatment difficult.

6 Hepatic Leiomyosarcoma

This is also another type of uncommon liver cancer, born in smooth muscle cells of the blood vessel. Oftentimes, treatment of Hepatic Leiomyosarcoma cancer gets challenging due to late diagnosis. 

What Causes Liver Cancer?

1. Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) 

NAFLD non-alcoholic fatty liver condition is associated obese people who are experiencing fat related issues on their liver, it is often linked to obesity and metabolic syndrome. In its advanced stage this condition becomes the cause of liver cancer in a person who has been going through excessive fat issues for a long time. 

2. Cirrhosis

This Condition occurs because of a lot of health problems such as excessive consumption of alcohol, NAFLD, certain types of metabolic issues etc. Cirrhosis disturbs liver function and gives rise to HCC and often leads to liver cancer. 

3. Extreme Level of Alcohol consumption

long-term alcohol consumption is one of the main causes of liver cancer which affects functioning and destroys important cells that play an important role in doing work of digestion. When a person increases intake of alcohol, combines health issues also lead to liver cancer.  

4. Aflatoxin Exposure

If a person is overly involved in an exposure to Aflatoxins, which are rare types of toxins, produced by molds that can contaminate crops like corn, rice, peanuts etc. These toxins are mostly found in packet stored food and stale food. These toxins are also a big cause of occurring liver cancer in an individual. 

5. Chronic Hepatitis B and C 

One of the main causes of liver cancer occurrence are chronic infections of hepatitis B and C virus, which give rise to liver cancer in a person’s body. 

These infections can remain in the body for long years without showing any symptoms and often create liver health related issues like liver inflammation and scarring, known as Cirrhosis, which become the reason of developing liver cancer like HCC.   

Signs and Symptoms of liver Cancer 

Liver cancer occurs in stages and the condition is detected through numerous symptoms, in the early stage it may not see any symptom but as the illness increases it causes various health problems. Following are the identifying  symptoms of liver cancer. 

• Sudden Weightless
• Continues Abdominal Pain
• Jaundice Problem 
• Feeling Dizziness
• Loss of Appetite 
• Diarrhea 
• Stomach Swelling
• Dark Urine
• Nausea and vomiting
• Continues Bloating issues 

Treatment Options for Liver Cancer in India

The treatment procedure of liver cancer is directed by the doctors after checking the factors like cancer stage, patient’s condition, liver function and many more. Liver cancer treatment often gets hard and creates challenges to remove cancer tissues from the body. Here is the list of four liver cancer treatment options that are administered by the doctors on the patients after examining the overall condition.  

Here is a brief overview about liver cancer treatment:

1. Surgery

• Hepatectomy- This is a surgical procedure done by the medical team in order to remove the specific area of the liver where the tumor or cancer is developed. In the early stage of HCC, this procedure might seem curative.  
• Liver Transplant- liver transplant is suggested by the doctors to those persons who are going through with the worst liver cancer condition. It includes replacing the whole liver with a healthy liver, donated by the family member or someone else. This is also a surgical procedure done by the combined medical experts in order to heal the patient. 
• Ablation- It is a radio waves treatment used to destroy abnormal cells from the body, the procedure performed by the technical experts who have medical knowledge as well. This technique shrinks the size of tumor or unhealthy cells from the body.

2. Chemotherapy 

Chemotherapy is a medical treatment used for curing cancer patients it is  also used for various types of cancer, by the doctors. Chemo is given to the patients in many forms including injections, IVS and oral medications. Some systemic therapies are often reserved for advanced HCC, a type of cancer.  

3. Targeted Therapy 

There are some specific targeted therapies designed to remove cancer cells or tumors from the body, these involve sorafenib and regorafenib and many more. The drugs are applied in advanced levels of HCC cases for those patients who are not undergoing transplant and surgery treatment .  

4. Immunotherapy

This therapy includes Nivalumab and pembrolizumab drugs, which stimulate the immune system in order to target unbalanced or unhealthy cells which are causing cancer. It is a popular liver cancer treatment opted by the doctors to treat liver cancer.