Information About Adult Primary Liver Cancer from the National Cancer Institute
Adult primary liver cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the liver...This summary refers to the treatment of primary liver cancer (cancer that begins in the liver). Treatment of metastatic liver cancer, which is cancer that begins in other parts of the body and spreads to the liver, is not discussed in this summary. Primary liver cancer can occur in both adults and children. Treatment for children, however, is different than treatment for adults. Read more at the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health
Information on Liver Cancer from the American Cancer Society
About Causes, Risk Factors and Prevention; Early Detection, Diagnosis, Staging; Treating Liver Cancer; Talking With Your Doctor . Read more from the American Cancer Society.
Information on Liver Cancer from the MD Anderson Cancer Center
The liver is the largest organ in the body and performs many important functions to keep a person healthy. The American Cancer Society estimates that approximately 21,370 individuals were diagnosed with liver cancer in the United States in 2008. Liver cancer is more common in males than females, with males more than twice as likely to develop liver cancer over a lifetime. Read more from the MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Fact Sheet: Incidence & Mortality
From Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results at the National Cancer Institute.
Brochure: Liver Cancer - What you need to know
An informative brochure from the American Liver Foundation.
Video: Liver cancer
This video animation explains the function of the liver, how liver cancer spreads and various treatment options for liver cancer as presented by the Medical University of South Carolina.
Podcast: Metastatic Liver Cancer
Listen to Dr. Alexander, a professor of surgery and associate chairman of clinical research in the Department of Surgery at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, with Karen Warmkessel talk about treatment options that include surgery, chemotherapy, radioactive microspheres called SIR-Spheres, chemoembolization and a new technique under investigation to deliver high-dose chemotherapy only to the liver. Presented at the University of Maryland Medical website.
Podcast: Primary Liver Cancer and the Role of Transplantation in Treatment
Liver cancer is now the fifth most common cancer. Transplant surgeon, William Chapman, MD, discusses treatment options and risk factors for this previously rare type of cancer in a Siteman Cancer Center podcast.
Hepatic malignancy
GUIDELINE OBJECTIVE(S): To evaluate the appropriateness of interventional radiologic (ablative and endovascular) procedures/treatments for hepatic malignancy. See National Guideline Clearinghouse major recommendations.
Management of hepatocellular carcinoma
GUIDELINE OBJECTIVE(S): To provide a data-supported approach to the surveillance, diagnosis, staging, treatment and management of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). See National Guideline Clearinghouse major recommendations.
Liver lesion characterization
GUIDELINE OBJECTIVE(S): To evaluate the appropriateness of initial radiologic examinations for liver lesion characterization. See National Guideline Clearinghouse major recommendations.
Staging laparoscopy for primary hepatic tumors
GUIDELINE OBJECTIVE(S): To assist surgeons' decisions about the appropriate use of staging laparoscopy in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma; To update the previous 2002 guidelines on this topic. See National Guideline Clearinghouse major recommendations.
Abstract: Triple-drug transcatheter arterial chemoembolization in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma: assessment of survival in 124 consecutive patients.
OBJECTIVE: The objective of our study was to describe survival outcome in 124 patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma treated with triple-drug transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) using doxorubicin, cisplatin, and mitomycin C using a standardized regimen. See Abstract at PubMed.
Abstract: Advancement in HCC imaging: diagnosis, staging and treatment efficacy assessments : Imaging diagnosis and staging of hepatocellular carcinoma.
Diagnostic confirmation and assessment of disease extent are crucial for proper management of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Imaging studies play a crucial role in the diagnosis and staging of HCC. The imaging techniques commonly used for the diagnosis of HCC include ultrasound, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging. Currently, improvements in imaging technology make a noninvasive and reliable diagnostic assessment of hepatocellular nodules possible in the cirrhotic liver. See Abstract at PubMed.
Abstract: Cryotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma.
BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common primary malignant cancer of the liver. Evidence for the role of cryotherapy in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma is controversial. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this review is to evaluate the potential benefits and harms of cryotherapy for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. See Abstract at PubMed
Abstract: The impact of obesity and diabetes mellitus on the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma.
BACKGROUND: Obesity has been associated to increased hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) risk, but studies on the topic do not fully account for hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections. Likewise, an increased risk has been reported for diabetes mellitus (DM) but whether DM is an independent risk factor has not been established yet. To evaluate the association of obesity and DM with HCC risk, we conducted a hospital-based, case-control study in two Italian areas. See Abstract at PubMed.
Liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the commonest primary malignancy of the liver. It usually occurs in the setting of chronic liver disease and has a poor prognosis if untreated. Orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) is a suitable therapeutic option for early, unresectable HCC particularly in the setting of chronic liver disease. Full text available free through PubMed.
Association of MicroRNA Expression in Hepatocellular Carcinomas with Hepatitis Infection, Cirrhosis, and Patient Survival
MicroRNA (miRNA) is a new class of small, noncoding RNA. The purpose of this study was to determine if miRNAs are differentially expressed in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). More than 200 precursor and mature miRNAs were profiled by real-time PCR in 43 and 28 pairs of HCC and adjacent benign liver, respectively, and in normal liver specimens...Conclusion: We show that a global increase in the transcription of miRNA genes occurs in cirrhotic and hepatitis-positive livers and that miRNA expression may prognosticate disease out-come in HCC. Full text available free through PubMed.
Meta-analysis of percutaneous radiofrequency ablation versus ethanol injection in hepatocellular carcinoma
Percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (RFA) has gained popularity in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, its role versus other conventional minimally invasive therapies is still a matter of debate. The purpose of this work is to analyse the efficacy and safety of RFA versus that of ethanol injection (PEI), the percutaneous standard approach to treat nonsurgical HCC. Full text available free from Biomed Central.
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The Liver
Cancer Mortality Rates (Click for detail)
Source: National Cancer Institute
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