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Liver cancer is the 13th most common cancer in the United States, with more than 30,000 new cases diagnosed each year. The liver is a critical organ the body cannot live without. It helps filter impurities and produces bile, which helps the body digest food and process fats. Damage to the liver from illness or disease may increase the risk of liver cancer and impact treatment options for the diseases.
At Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA), our medical oncologists, surgical oncologists, interventional radiologists and other experts have years of experience delivering the range of cancer treatments available to treat liver tumors. Our whole-person care model is also designed to support patients throughout their treatment journey and includes supportive care services to help them manage side effects and maintain their quality of life.
What you should know after a liver cancer diagnosis
Treatment options
Many treatment options are used for liver cancer, including surgery, radiation therapy and immunotherapy. Which option is appropriate for you depends how much liver damage has been caused by cancer or other conditions and whether the cancer has spread elsewhere in the body, among other factors. Your multidisciplinary team of cancer experts will answer your questions and recommend treatment options based on your unique diagnosis and needs. Treatment options for liver cancer include:
Interventional radiology
Interventional radiology procedures are designed to deliver treatments directly to the tumor using minimally invasive technologies that help spare surrounding healthy tissue.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy may be used before or after surgery to shrink tumors and target cancer cells, or as a systemic treatment for metastatic disease.
Radiation therapy
A variety of radiation therapy procedures may be an option to deliver radiation directly to cancer cells while reducing side effects.
Targeted therapy
Targeted therapy drugs seek out specific proteins unique to cancer cells.
Gastroenterology
A gastroenterologist may be required to treat liver cancer or relieve side effects.
Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy drugs work by blocking receptor proteins that allow cancer cells to hide from the immune system.
Supportive care
We understand that managing the side effects of cancer treatment is critical to your quality of life. In addition to treating your liver cancer with evidence-based conventional approaches, your care team may recommend various supportive care therapies designed to help you stay strong throughout treatment. They may include:
Nutritional support
Every patient has the option of meeting with a registered dietitian.
Learn More
Learn about liver cancer
Liver cancer begins in the tissues of the liver, an organ located in the upper right portion of the abdomen, beneath the diaphragm and above the stomach. The liver is an essential organ with many functions. It helps store nutrients from food, aids with digestion and clears toxins from the body. The disease is common in other countries but less so in the United States. The most common type of liver cancer is hepatocellular carcinoma.
"For more than two years, I returned to CTCA every month for five to six days at a time. I received chemotherapy intravenously and took advantage of all the supportive care services CTCA offered."
