9 Type Treatment of Liver Cancer

Once symptoms of liver cancer is diagnosed, the next step is to discuss the treatment of cancer will be the care planning. Depending on the patient, the likelihood the patient will perform a variety of medical care including:

Surgeons - physicians who perform the treatment of disease with surgery

Radiation oncologist - doctors who treat cancer with radio therapy

Medical oncology - the medical personnel who perform the treatment of cancer with drugs such as chemotherapy.

In deciding the treatment plan, the important factors to consider include the severity of the cancer and liver health remaining. Tim cancer doctor will also consider the possible side effects of treatment, pasies overall health. As well as the chances of cure disease, prolong life or palliative ((cancer.org, How is liver cancer treated ?, accessed 15 November 2014))

Based on these factors, liver cancer treatment options that can be applied include ((cancer.net, Liver Cancer: Treatment Options, accessed 15 November 2014))

Liver Cancer Treatment To Eliminate Tumors

1. Operation

The treatment is done through surgery for a tumor to the surrounding tissues. This may be the treatment of diseases which spelled out the most successful, especially for patients with small tumors (less than 5 cm). The surgeon specializing in treating cancer with surgery. 2 types of surgery are used to treat liver cancer is the removal partial hepatectomy of liver cancer and liver transplantation. However, if the tumor has spread beyond the liver, or if the patient has other serious illness surgery may not be an option.

Hepatectomy - operations which remove part of the liver. Hepatectomy can only be done if the cancer occurs in one part of the heart and the liver still worked fine. The rest of the parts of the liver, it can take over the function of the liver as a whole and can grow back to normal size within weeks. Hepatectomy may not be possible if the patient had cirrhosis, even if the tumor is small. The side effects of hepatectomy include pain, weakness, and fatigue, and liver failure while.

Liver transplantation - Sometimes a liver transplant can be done, but it is only possible if the cancer has not spread outside of the liver and a suitable donor is found. After the transplant, patients will be closely monitored to oversee the new liver organ rejection or tumor may come back again. Patients should take medication to prevent rejection of the transplant, but has side effects such as swelling in the face, high blood pressure.

2. Thermal Ablation - Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) uses heat to destroy cancer cells. It can be administered through the skin, through laparoscopy or during surgery while the patient in the anesthetic.

3. Percutaneous Ethanol Injection - This treatment is performed by injecting alcohol directly into the liver tumor to destroy it. The side effects of this treatment include fever and pain, but generally the procedure is very safe and very effective for small tumors measuring 3 cm. If the alcohol passes from the heart, a person may experience a brief but severe pain.

Treatment For Liver Cancer Survival

If the doctor determines that the cancer can not be removed by one of the above treatment, the doctor will recommend to shrink the tumor, slowing growth. Most likely these treatments do not get rid of the cancer completely.

1. Chemoembolization - this type of chemotherapy treatment, in which the drug is injected into the hepatic artery (and then the flow of blood through an artery is blocked for a short time so fixed in tumor chemotherapy. Blocking the blood supply to tumors also kill cancer cells. Besides being used as chemoembolization treatment can be used to slow tumor growth, for people who are waiting for a liver transplant.

2. Radiation therapy - therapy that uses x-rays or other particles to destroy cancer cells. Radiation therapy usually consists of a number of specific treatment given within a certain period and divided into 2 types:

External radiation therapy is radiation given by the machine outside the body but is not often used for liver cancer.

Internal radiation therapy is to place radioactive beads into the artery that supplies the tumor with blood in a similar way to chemoembolization.

The side effects of radiation therapy include fatigue, mild skin reactions, upset stomach and felt immediately after the completion of treatment. But for internal radiation therapy side effects, including damage to the stomach and lungs.

3. Chemotherapy - The use of drugs to destroy cancer cells, it will usually stop the growth of cancer cells. Chemotherapy given with certain drugs in a cycle, during a specific time period. Chemotherapy may be given in two ways:

Systemic chemotherapy: administered through the bloodstream with intravenous tube that is placed in the vein using a needle to reach the cancer cells. Systemic chemotherapy can also usually be given by pill or capsule is swallowed (oral).

Regional Chemotherapy: Surgery is done to put a small pump in the body to deliver chemotherapy directly into the blood vessels to feed the tumor.

4. Cryosurgery - treatment that uses extreme cooling to freeze and kill the cancer cells.

5. Hepatic Artery Infusion - The infusion of the hepatic artery using anticancer drugs that are injected into the catheter that has been placed in the artery, the main blood supply to the liver.

6. Immunotherapy - called biological therapy that is designed to enhance the body's natural defenses to fight cancer. The materials used serves to boost the immune system. The side effects of biological therapy are similar to the flu, including fatigue, fever, chills, muscle aches, and headache.

Failure Treatment That Can Happen

Liver cancer treatment does not always give you success and if the treatment is not successful, the possibility of cancer has led to an advanced stage. Discuss this with your health care team of doctors to supporting patients and families. Patients who progressed stage of cancer, may consider the so-called types of palliative care hospice care. Hospital care is designed to provide the best quality care for people close to the end of life.

Patients and families will be given the option most convenient for patient care at home or in a hospital environment. Care and special equipment can diguakan at home as a workable alternative families. It is designed to provide comfort for the patient to face the end of his life.