1 Liver Cancer Hospitals In Durham, North Carolina

Liver Cancer (click for worldwide facilities list): Liver cancer is the fifth most common cancer in the world. Primary liver cancer is rarely discovered early and often doesn't respond to current treatments. The prognosis is often poor.

Liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma) is a cancer arising from the liver. It is also known as primary liver cancer or hepatoma. The most important news about primary liver cancer is that you can greatly reduce your risk by protecting yourself from hepatitis infection and cirrhosis, the leading causes of the disease..\

Primary liver cancer Primary liver cancer is divided into several types based on the type of cells that become cancerous. Types include:

-Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This is the most common form of primary liver cancer in both children and adults. It starts in the hepatocytes, the main type of liver cell.
-Cholangiocarcinoma. This type of cancer begins in the small tube-like bile ducts within the liver. This type of cancer is sometimes called bile duct cancer.
-Hepatoblastoma. This rare type of liver cancer affects children younger than 4 years of age. Most children with hepatoblastoma can be successfully treated.
-Angiosarcoma or hemangiosarcoma. These rare cancers begin in the blood vessels of the liver and grow very quickly.

Metastatic cancer:
In the United States, most cancer found in the liver has spread there from another part of the body. Metastatic cancers form when malignant cells detach from the primary cancer and travel through the body in the circulatory or lymphatic system. Cancers that begin in certain organs near the liver, such as the pancreas, can spread directly to the liver. Most metastatic cancers reach the liver through the bloodstream.

People who are at a higher risk for primary liver cancer have:
-Hepatitis B and one or more of the following: Are an Asian male older than 40, Asian female older than 50 or African and older than 20, have liver cirrhosis, or have a family history of liver cancer
-Liver cirrhosis from alcohol use
-Hepatitis C
-An inherited form of hemochromatosis
- Primary sclerosing cholangitis

The goal of any treatment is to eliminate the cancer completely. When that isn't possible, the focus may be on preventing the tumor from growing or spreading. In some cases palliative care only is appropriate.

Treatments for adults with primary liver cancer include:
surgery, alcohol injection, radiofrequency ablation, chemoembolization, cryoablation (cryosurgery or cryotherapy), radiation therapy, chemotherapy, liver transplantation, and Sorafenib (Nexavar) for use in advanced inoperable liver cancer.

Treatments for primary liver cancer in children:
Liver cancer in young people is rare. As a result, most children with the disease are treated at centers that specialize in childhood cancers. The treatments available for children are the same as for adults, and the best approach depends on the stage and type of cancer as well as the child's age and overall health.

Clinical trials are also an option when standard treatments often aren't effective in treating your liver cancer. here are no guarantees with clinical trials, however, and you should fully understand the potential risks as well as possible benefits before taking this step.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/liver-cancer/DS00399
http://www.medicinenet.com/liver_cancer/article.htm

Also known as: Primary Liver Cancer / Hepatoma