Effective Strategies for Treating Liver Cancer
Explore effective liver cancer treatments including surgery, thermal ablation, radiation therapy, chemoembolization, and targeted therapies. Tailored options depend on tumor size, spread, and overall health. Consulting a specialist ensures the best approach for individual cases.
Effective Strategies for Treating Liver Cancer
Liver cancer management involves multiple treatment approaches, tailored to the patient's specific condition. Factors influencing treatment choices include the tumor size, spread extent, damage to healthy liver tissue, and overall health status. Here are some of the widely used treatment options for liver cancer:
Surgical Options
Surgery, often recommended in early stages, entails removing the tumor along with a margin of healthy tissue. Performed by a surgical oncologist, the procedure is suitable when the cancer is localized without widespread liver involvement. Common procedures include partial liver resection (hepatectomy) and liver transplant.
Thermal Ablation
Thermal ablation techniques, like Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA), destroy cancer cells through heat, administered via minimally invasive procedures or surgery, depending on the tumor's location. This method is beneficial for small tumors.
Percutaneous Ethanol Injection
This minimally invasive treatment involves injecting alcohol directly into the tumor, effectively destroying small lesions under 3 cm in size. Mild side effects such as pain and fever may occur.
Radiation Therapy
This effective modality uses high-energy X-rays to target and eliminate cancer cells, administered by a radiation specialist.
Chemical Embolization Techniques
Chemoembolization delivers chemotherapy drugs directly into the liver's blood vessels, blocking blood flow to the tumor to inhibit its growth. Radioembolization involves inserting radioactive beads into the blood vessels feeding the tumor to induce cell death.
Targeted Therapy
This advanced treatment employs drugs designed to interfere with specific molecules involved in tumor growth, targeting proteins and genes that promote cancer development. It aims to attack cancer cells precisely while sparing healthy tissue.
Consulting with a healthcare professional or specialist is crucial for determining the most appropriate treatment plan tailored to the individual patient's condition.
