What are the treatment options for liver cancer?

The team reviews the tumour's size, number and position, whether it involves blood vessels or has spread, and how well the remaining liver works. Liver disease such as scarring can affect which treatments are safe and whether the liver can recover after an operation.

Liver resection removes the part of the liver containing the tumour when enough healthy liver can remain. Tumour ablation destroys a selected tumour through a probe or another local method. Immunotherapy helps the immune system attack cancer cells, while targeted therapy acts on signals that support cancer growth. Medicine treatments may be considered when local treatment is unsuitable or cancer has spread.

Bring imaging reports, medicine lists and information about hepatitis, cirrhosis, alcohol use or previous liver procedures. Ask how the plan will protect liver function, whether a biopsy is needed, and how nutrition, pain and other symptoms will be managed.

Keep follow-up appointments for liver blood tests and scans. Check before taking herbal products, pain medicines or supplements because some can affect the liver or interact with cancer treatment.

Contact your team promptly for increasing abdominal swelling or pain, yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine, repeated vomiting, fever, confusion or unusual bleeding. Seek emergency help for severe abdominal pain, vomiting blood, black stools, fainting or sudden confusion.

How much healthy liver is present? Is resection or ablation suitable? If medicines are recommended, what do they target and how will liver function be monitored? What symptoms should lead me to call the team between appointments?