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Is Liver Cancer Curable?

It is possible to treat liver cancer. The chance of complete recovery differs based on the type of disease, the stage, and the treatment method. Primary liver cancer is challenging to treat; thus, early diagnosis is essential. This does not happen very often, however. 

Metastatic liver cancer, often referred to as secondary liver cancer, poses significant treatment challenges as it originates from other parts of the body.

Dr. Aditya Kulkarni at Oasis Clinic specializes in comprehensive care and advanced approaches to address this complex condition, offering hope and expertise in the Fight against metastatic liver cancer.

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The primary goals of treatment for liver cancer are to improve the patient’s quality of life and to lengthen their lives as much as possible. The liver is a complex organ with many tiny blood vessels and bile ducts, making surgery challenging.

Those with curable malignancies whose tumors can be removed surgically at an early stage have a better chance of survival. However, this is not the most common outcome when cancers are detected early.

When Liver Cancer is Most Curable?

The severity of your liver cancer will determine what kind of therapy is suggested for you.

There is hope for a full recovery from cancer if it is detected at an early stage, stage A.
There are primarily three methods of doing this:

  • Surgical removal of the diseased portion of the liver (called a resection)
  • Liver transplantation entails surgical removal of the damaged organ and replacement with a healthy one from a donor
  • The elimination of malignant cells via the application of heat, also known as microwave or radiofrequency ablation (RFA)

Can a Liver Transplant Help in Liver Cancer Treatment?

Liver transplants that are performed successfully have the potential to cure liver cancer; however, not everyone who requires a liver transplant will be fit enough to undergo the transplant procedure or will be capable of finding a donor. 

According to the research, persons who have liver resection surgery have a higher chance of survival than those whose health precludes them from undergoing the procedure.

If that’s the case, care is centred on preserving the patient’s quality of life for as long as feasible by medical intervention.

How to Detect Liver Cancer Early?

Many patients have no symptoms in the initial stages of primary liver cancer. If symptoms do develop, they might include:

Abdominal Discomfort :

An early Symptom of liver cancer is discomfort in the upper abdominal region, close to where the liver sits.

Abdominal discomfort is difficult to diagnose since it may be caused by various things, from liver cancer to simple indigestion, particularly if it continues after a simple meal.

Fatigue :Everyone seems exhausted these days, but cancer-related tiredness may be particularly severe.

Cancer fatigue is not like regular tiredness; it doesn’t go away after a good night’s sleep.

If you compare how much energy you have now to how much you had six to twelve months ago, you can observe this symptom more easily.

Jaundice :Yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes are common symptoms of jaundice.

The signs of jaundice indicate that your body can no longer filter out toxins as your liver begins to stop functioning correctly.

Reduced Appetite :Many illnesses may cause a lack of appetite, but the liver disease often causes a severe loss of appetite.

With this comes the possibility of feeling satisfied after eating relatively little.

Seeking medical attention is necessary since these symptoms may indicate malignancy in places other than the liver.

Unexpected Weight Reduction : Some people may be happy about losing weight without trying, but rapid weight loss that isn’t due to a change in eating habits or physical activity levels should always prompt a trip to the doctor.

Unintentional weight loss of five percent or more of total body weight over six months to a year is clinically significant.

Nausea or Vomiting :Nausea and vomiting are frequent symptoms of liver cancer at any stage and may be caused by several factors.

There is a wide variety of potential explanations for nausea and vomiting, so it’s essential to speak to your doctor if any of these symptoms persist or worsen over time.

Bloating : When a liver tumour has grown to a significant proportion, it will begin to put pressure on the organs located close to it inside the abdominal cavity.

If you have cancer in the left lobe of your liver, it may be pressing on your stomach, leading to bloating.

Itching : Itching may be brought on by the accumulation of bile salts in the skin, which causes jaundice.

Although itching isn’t usually taken seriously, the itching caused by liver disease may be quite severe.

Or, if you want to know the symptoms in detail read, How to identify Early symptoms of liver cancer?

Conclusion

Having primary liver cancer is a severe medical concern. Most cases of liver cancer are diagnosed at an advanced stage when treatment choices are severely limited.

When that occurs, the goal of therapy is to alleviate symptoms and halt the progression of cancer while preserving the quality of life.

If you experience any combination of the symptoms related to Liver Cancer, it’s important to consult with your doctor as soon as possible.

Dr. Aditya Kulkarni

MS, DNB, FRCS, MCh (Surgical Gastroenterology & GI Oncology)

Dr. Aditya Kulkarni is a Consultant of Laparoscopic and Robotic Gastrointestinal, Hepato-biliary-pancreatic, and Cancer Surgeon at the Renowned Oasis Surgery Clinic Pune.

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