Liver Cancer - Ways It Can Be Diagnosed!

While the blood tests are performed to determine the AFP or alpha-fetoprotein levels, which when increased can suggest liver cancer, the imaging studies such as, CT scan or MRI are performed to detect the extent of blood supply to the liver cancer and its location. A liver biopsy is the last step which confirms whether one has liver cancer or not though it may not be necessary for everyone. In case you re diagnosed with liver cirrhosis, consult with an oncologist for surveillance ultrasound of the liver as it is the best way to detect liver cancer.

While surgeries, like the liver transplant and removal of small portions of the cancer-affected liver, are there to treat liver cancer, localized treatments are there too as per the requirement along with targeted drug therapy and radiation therapy. Some of the localized treatment options for liver cancer are freezing the cancer cells, heating the cancer cells, injecting alcohol or chemo drugs in the cancer cells, etc. Consult with your doctor to know about the treatment options suitable for you.

Liver cancer is not completely curable as it in the majority of cases it is not diagnosed in its early stages. However, when proper treatments are performed, its spread or further deterioration may be controlled to some extent. Follow-up treatments are necessary for treating liver cancer successfully. Remember, both the treatment options and their results may differ from patient to patient.

After liver cancer is diagnosed, the doctors analyze numerous factors before determining the best and most effective treatment for the patient. From how much cancer has affected the liver to the amount and area that cancer has spread and whether the patient has any preferences, all these factors are accounted before deciding the treatment. The overall health of the patient and the chance of damage to the unaffected parts of the liver are also crucial factors. Talk to your oncologist about supportive or palliative care if necessary, when undergoing any aggressive treatments, such as chemotherapy, surgery or radiation therapy.