Can primary liver cancer be treated?

Written by Sun Wei
Surgical Oncology
Updated on September 06, 2024
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Primary liver cancer is also treatable. Generally, if the primary liver cancer is small and has not widely metastasized, surgical resection can be considered, mainly involving hepatectomy and lymph node dissection. Postoperative comprehensive treatment including chemotherapy and radiotherapy is also applied. For primary liver cancer, interventional chemotherapy, as well as methods like cryotherapy, microwave, and ablation can be considered to control the progression of the disease. Additionally, oral targeted therapy such as sorafenib can be used. If primary liver cancer is widely metastasized at the time of detection, there generally aren’t very effective treatment options, and the average survival period might be around six months, with poor treatment outcomes.

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Is increased lung markings related to liver cancer?

Increased pulmonary markings are clinically associated with many inducing factors, but they are not directly related to liver cancer. It's important to understand that liver cancer involves the presence of cancer cells in the liver, while increased pulmonary markings are radiographic signs observed during lung imaging examinations. Clinically, there are many factors that can lead to increased pulmonary markings, but liver cancer does not cause this condition. Typically, increased pulmonary markings may be due to excessive obesity, long-term smoking, or the presence of inflammatory lesions in the lungs, all of which can cause varying degrees of increased pulmonary markings.

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What should someone with advanced liver cancer eat if they have no appetite?

In the late stages of liver cancer, loss of appetite may be related to gastrointestinal dysfunction caused by widespread metastasis of cancer cells. If loss of appetite occurs, it is first recommended to try eating orally as much as possible, and consuming rice porridge or noodle soup to increase nutrition. If there is still no appetite, nutritional support can be provided through parenteral nutrition, such as using nutritional elements and substances for intravenous treatment. If the results are not satisfactory, medication can be administered through a central venous catheter for better outcomes.

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Written by Sun Wei
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Is primary liver cancer contagious?

Primary liver cancer refers to malignant tumors that occur in the liver and are not metastasized from other parts of the body. Such liver cancer itself is not contagious. However, if liver cancer patients have other infectious diseases, transmission may be possible. Most primary liver cancers are related to liver cirrhosis following hepatitis, with hepatitis B being the most common. If accompanied by hepatitis B, it can be contagious, but it usually doesn't spread through regular daily contact. The main transmission routes for hepatitis B are through blood, mother-to-child transmission, and sexual transmission. This means that as long as the patient's blood does not injure someone else, contagion is generally unlikely, so there is no need for excessive worry.

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How does an ultrasound show early-stage liver cancer?

Liver cancer can be detected in its early stages through Doppler ultrasound examination, which may reveal single or multiple abnormal masses within the liver. These masses often vary in size and have irregular edges, with blood flow signals inside. If liver cancer is suspected from the Doppler ultrasound, further examination with an abdominal CT or MRI can provide more detailed information about the lesions to aid in judgment. A definitive diagnosis relies on surgical removal or percutaneous liver biopsy to obtain local tissue for pathological confirmation. Patients with early-stage diagnosed liver cancer should undergo surgical treatment as soon as possible, and those who can have radical resection generally have a better prognosis.

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Does early-stage liver cancer metastasize?

Patients with early-stage liver cancer generally do not experience metastasis. This is because for patients with early-stage liver cancer, the lesions are localized and have not spread, thus being classified as early-stage. Moreover, the general treatment for patients with early-stage liver cancer involves curative surgery. Since the lesions are localized, in most cases, there will be no recurrence or metastasis after the surgery. Therefore, for early-stage patients, there is no need to administer adjuvant radiotherapy or adjuvant chemotherapy and other anti-tumor treatments after the surgery. However, once the liver cancer lesions invade surrounding tissues and metastasize to distant sites, it indicates that the lesions have spread, and the clinical stage has progressed to mid or late stages, losing the opportunity for curative surgery. Most patients undergo comprehensive treatments such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy which generally results in a reduction in survival time.