Liver cancer is a malignant disease that starts in the liver, the organ responsible for removing toxins from the blood and for regulating numerous other bodily functions. There are several options available for the treatment of liver cancer, conventional methods being localized therapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery. Here are some important details about these options:
- Surgery – conventional surgical options include interventions to remove the tumor and liver transplant. The best solution depends on the stage of the disease – if the tumor is not very large, it can be removed, then the remaining healthy liver tissue can regenerate in a relatively short time. Transplant is a rarely used option;
- Chemotherapy – this treatment is used for killing rapidly growing cells, including cancer cells;
- Immunotherapy – this option focuses to strengthen the immune system to enable it to fight cancer. It is more commonly used for treating advanced disease;
- Targeted drug therapy – these medicines target specific mutations present in cancer cells, causing the cells to die;
- Radiation therapy – this treatment uses X-rays, protons or other forms of high-power energy to kill cancer cells without affecting healthy cells. The Y90 radioembolization option is the latest treatments for treatment for liver cancer patients.
