Best Liver Cancer Hospitals In India
Liver Cancer or Hepatic Tumour is a cancer of Liver. There are several different types of tumours that can develop in the liver as liver is made up of various cell types. These growths can be benign or malignant. Cancerous tumours can start in liver and spread to other areas of your body, through your bloodstream or your lymphatic system. This spread of cancer is called metastasis. Tumours may also spread from other parts of your body, such as from your bowel, breast or lungs, to your liver.
• Physical exam -- The doctor feels the abdomen to check the liver, spleen, and nearby organs for any lumps or changes in their shape or size. The doctor also checks for ascites, an abnormal buildup of fluid in the abdomen. The doctor may examine the skin and eyes for signs of jaundice.
Surgery : Surgery is the removal of the tumor and surrounding tissue during an operation. It is likely to be the most successful disease-directed treatment, particularly for patients with small tumors (smaller than 5 cm). A surgical oncologist is a doctor who specializes in treating cancer using surgery.
Liver Cancer or Hepatic Tumour is a cancer of Liver. There are several different types of tumours that can develop in the liver as liver is made up of various cell types. These growths can be benign or malignant. Cancerous tumours can start in liver and spread to other areas of your body, through your bloodstream or your lymphatic system. This spread of cancer is called metastasis. Tumours may also spread from other parts of your body, such as from your bowel, breast or lungs, to your liver.
Most people do not have signs and symptoms in the early stages of primary liver cancer. When symptoms do appear, they may include:
• Losing weight without trying
• Loss of appetite
• Upper abdominal pain
• Nausea and vomiting
• General weakness and fatigue
• An enlarged liver
• Abdominal swelling
• Yellow discoloration of your skin and the whites of your eyes (jaundice
• Stage 0 - The tumour is less than 2cm (20mm) in diameter and the person is very well and has noral liver function.
• Stage A - A single tumour has grown but is less than 5cm (50mm) in diameter, or there are three or fewer smaller tumours that are less than 3cm (30mm) in diameter and the person is very well with normal liver function.
• Stage B - There are multiple tumours in the liver, but the person is well and their liver function is unaffected.
• Stage C - Any of the above circumstances, but the person is not so well and their liver function is not so good; or where the cancer has started to spread into the main blood vessel of the liver, into nearby lymph nodes or into other parts of the body.
• Stage D – Where the liver has lost most of its functioning abilities and the person begins to have symptoms of end-stage liver disease, such as a build-up of fluid inside their abdomen.
• Physical exam -- The doctor feels the abdomen to check the liver, spleen, and nearby organs for any lumps or changes in their shape or size. The doctor also checks for ascites, an abnormal buildup of fluid in the abdomen. The doctor may examine the skin and eyes for signs of jaundice.
• Blood tests -- Many blood tests may be used to check for liver problems. One blood test detects alpha-fetoprotein (AFP). High AFP levels could be a sign of liver cancer. Other blood tests can show how well the liver is working.
• CT scan -- An x-ray machine linked to a computer takes a series of detailed pictures of the liver and other organs and blood vessels in the abdomen. The patient may receive an injection of a special dye so the liver shows up clearly in the pictures.
• Ultrasound test -- The ultrasound device uses sound waves that cannot be heard by humans. The sound waves produce a pattern of echoes as they bounce off internal organs. The echoes create a picture (sonogram) of the liver and other organs in the abdomen. Tumors may produce echoes that are different from the echoes made by healthy tissues
• MRI -- A powerful magnet linked to a computer is used to make detailed pictures of areas inside the body. These pictures are viewed on a monitor and can also be printed.
• Angiogram -- For an angiogram, the patient may be in the hospital and may have anesthesia. The doctor injects dye into an artery so that the blood vessels in the liver show up on an x-ray. The angiogram can reveal a tumor in the liver.
• Biopsy -- In some cases, the doctor may remove a sample of tissue. A pathologist uses a microscope to look for cancer cells in the tissue. The doctor may obtain tissue in several ways. One way is by inserting a thin needle into the liver to remove a small amount of tissue. This is called fine-needle aspiration.
Surgery : Surgery is the removal of the tumor and surrounding tissue during an operation. It is likely to be the most successful disease-directed treatment, particularly for patients with small tumors (smaller than 5 cm). A surgical oncologist is a doctor who specializes in treating cancer using surgery.
Hepatectomy : When a portion of the liver is removed, the surgery is called a Hepatectomy. A Hepatectomy can be done only if the cancer is in one part of the liver, and the liver is working well. The remaining section of liver takes over the functions of the entire liver and may regrow to its normal size within a few weeks
Liver Transplantation :Liver transplant may be the best option for some people with small liver cancers. At this time, liver transplants are reserved for those with small tumors (either 1 tumor smaller than 5 cm across or 2 to 3 tumors no larger than 3 cm) that have not invaded nearby blood vessels. In most cases, transplant is used for tumors that cannot be totally removed, either because of the location of the tumors or because the liver is too diseased for the patient to withstand removing part of it.
Chemoembolization: This is a type of chemotherapy treatment in which drugs are injected into the hepatic artery and then the flow of blood through the artery is blocked for a short time so the chemotherapy stays in the tumor longer. Blocking the blood supply to the tumor also kills cancer cells.
Radiation Therapy : Radiation therapy is the use of high-energy x-rays or other particles to kill cancer cells. A doctor who specializes in giving radiation therapy to treat cancer is called a radiation oncologist. A radiation therapy regimen (schedule) usually consists of a specific number of treatments given over a set period of time. External-beam radiation thera
No comments:
Post a Comment