Liver is the largest and most versatile organ of human body that performs wide range of functions, necessary for human beings. Along with liver cells i.e. Hepatocytes, the liver also has other cells that line its blood vessels i.e. Hepatic artery & Portal vein and bile ducts.
These bile ducts are formed between liver cells and unite to form a common bile duct to carry bile from the liver to the gallbladder or pour bile directly into the duodenum i.e. first part of the intestine. Having various types of cells, liver can form several types of benign i.e. non-cancerous tumors or malignant i.e. cancerous tumors.
The formation of malignant tumors can be interpreted as development of liver cancer. When cancer begins in liver, it is referred as Primary Liver Cancer. Liver cancer that spreads to liver from another organ such as colon, lung or breast is called metastatic liver cancer.
The most common Primary liver cancer is termed as Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Other types of Liver Cancer include Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma and Hepatoblastoma.
What are the Early Signs of Liver Cancer?
In the early stages of primary liver cancer, often signs and symptoms do not appear.
The signs and symptoms that appear include:
• Unexplained weight loss
• Loss of appetite
• Upper abdominal pain
• Pain in shoulder blade
• Nausea and vomiting
• General weakness and fatigue
• Abdominal swelling or fluid build-up in the abdomen
• Yellow discoloration of your skin and the whites of your eyes (jaundice)
• White or chalky stools
• Enlarged Liver (Hepatomegaly)
• Enlarged Spleen
• Itching
In rare cases, liver cancer may cause Paraneoplastic syndromes that may result in causing symptoms in other parts of the body and may also lead to:
• Hypercalcemia: High blood calcium levels
• Hypoglycemia: Low blood sugar levels
• Hypercholesterolemia: High cholesterol levels
• Erythrocytosis: High red blood cell count
• Gynecomastia: Breast enlargement in men
• Shrinking of testicles in men
What is the treatment?
Treatments for primary liver cancer generally depend on the stage of cancer that is determined on the basis of spread of cancer, age and general health of patient. Treatment of liver cancer depends upon location, size and stage of tumor besides liver functioning.
Treatment options for liver cancer are:
a) Surgery – that includes:
• Partial Hepatectomy for resection i.e. removal of cancerous tumor and few surrounding healthy tissue in patients with early-stage Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) having normal liver function
• Liver Transplant – is surgical removal of liver with HCC. In patients, in whom cancer has not spread beyond liver is replaced with a liver from healthy donor in patients.
b) Tumor Ablation treatment - to destroy liver tumors without removing them.
These localized treatments include:
• Heating i.e. Radiofrequency Ablation
• Freezing i.e. Cryoablation.
• Injecting Chemotherapy drugs i.e. Chemoembolization
• Injecting Alcohol into the tumor
• By placing beads filled with radiation in liver i.e. Radioembolization
c) Embolization Therapy - is a procedure in which blood flow to cancer cells in the liver is blocked or reduced with injections.
d) Radiation Therapy - in which energy from X-rays or Protons are used for External Beam Radiation(EBRT) and Stereotactic Body Radiation therapies (SBRT)
e) Target drug therapy - to slow down the progression of cancer in patients with advanced Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)
f) Immunotherapy – to stimulate or restore ability of patient’s immune system to fight cancer.
g) Low levels radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (radiowaves) delivered through Thera-Bionic P1 medical device.
These radiowaves selectively block growth of HCC cells, without affecting normal cells.
In addition, supportive Palliative care - specialized medical care for patients living with a serious liver disease is also given.
5 Best Liver Cancer Treatment Hospitals in Delhi, Mumbai & Bangalore:
The 5 Best Liver Cancer Treatment Hospital in Indiaare:
• Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Mumbai
• Wockhardt Hospital, Mumbai
• Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, New Delhi
• Fortis Escorts Heart Institute New Delhi
• Columbia Asia Hospital Bangalore
How to contact?
All these hospitals for are prominent and considered best liver cancer treatment hospital in India and can be easily located and contacted through internet.