Liver Cancer
What Is Liver Cancer?
Liver cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the liver. When liver cancer forms, the cancer cells can invade nearby tissues and can spread through the bloodstream and lymphatic system to other parts of the body. Cancer that begins in the liver is called primary liver cancer. In the United States, this type of cancer is uncommon. However, it is common for cancer to spread to the liver from the colon, lungs, breasts, or other parts of the body. When this happens, the disease is not liver cancer. The cancer in the liver is a secondary cancer. It is named for the organ or the tissue in which it began. The prognosis is better if liver cancer is detected early through yearly check-ups.
Treatment of Liver Cancer
Many people with liver cancer want to take an active part in decisions about their medical care. They want to learn all they can about their disease and their treatment choices. However, the shock and stress that people often feel after a diagnosis of liver cancer can make it hard for them to think of everything they want to ask the doctor. Often it helps to make a list of questions before an appointment. Some patients also want to have a family member or friend with them when they talk to the doctor -- to take part in the discussion, to take notes, or just to listen.
At this time, liver cancer can be cured only when it is found at an early stage (before it has spread) and only if the patient is healthy enough to have an operation. However, treatments other than surgery may be able to control the disease and help patients live longer and feel better. When a cure or control of the disease is not possible, some patients and their doctors choose palliative therapy. Palliative therapy aims to improve the quality of a person's life by controlling pain and other problems caused by liver cancer.
Learn more about liver cancer at the Comprehensive Cancer Center of Wake Forest University. As a national leader in cancer care & research and ranked among the best treatment facilities in the country, it is one of only 38 cancer centers in the nation designated by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) as a Comprehensive Cancer Center. NCI designation is an assurance of excellent care and comprehensive treatment options, including access to the latest clinical trials.
Liver Cancer
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