Liver cancer is mainly caused by the following situations: eating less fruits and vegetables at daytime, busy with work and entertainment at night, and no rest; often hold stool, etc. In this way, liver cancer is not far away from us.
When symptoms of liver cancer appear, they are often misdiagnosed as other diseases. They may be mistaken for stomach pain, abdominal distension, and no appetite. Some people go to see a stomach disease doctor, and some of them are misdiagnosed for cholecystitis(inflammation of the gall bladder). When the body is unwell, it is necessary to carefully distinguish the symptoms of the body with a detailed diagnosis to avoid misdiagnosis.
If you want to know the symptoms of early liver cancer, please communicate with us immediately, and we will invite liver cancer experts to answer your questions.
Cancer experts at Guangzhou Royallee Cancer Center point out that the early manifestations of liver cancer are very atypical and are often overlooked. The following symptoms are available for reference:
1. Obvious appetite loss: abdominal distension, indigestion, and sometimes nausea and vomiting. If it is suspected to be a liver problem, an ultrasound examination of the liver can be performed, which does not have any adverse effects on the body tissues.
2. Dull pain in the upper right abdomen: there may be persistent or intermittent pain in the liver area, and sometimes the pain may be aggravated by tumor metastasis. With liver area pain, CT scan is needed, which can clearly show the size, number, shape, location, boundary, richness of the blood supply of the tumor, and the condition with the intrahepatic ducts.
3. Bleeding: it often manifests as epistaxis, subcutaneous bleeding, etc.
4. Fatigue, weight loss, unexplained fever and edema.
5. Jaundice, ascites, itchy skin.
According to cancer experts at Guangzhou Royallee Cancer Center, some typical symptoms of liver cancer only occur when the disease progresses to the middle and advanced stages, and the opportunity for surgical treatment is often lost at that time, so regular self-examination is very important.
When tiredness and fatigue persists and cannot be relieved, it may be a sign of liver disease; dullness in the precordium, or dull pain in the upper right side of the abdomen, pressure and discomfort, weight loss, occasional fever and jaundice of unknown cause.
When the above symptoms occur, it does not necessarily mean that you have liver cancer, but it is recommended that you go to hospital for related examinations and receive treatment once diagnosed as soon as possible. Effective treatment of early liver cancer can greatly extend the life span and improve the quality of life.
If you or your family members or friends have been diagnosed with liver cancer, please communicate with us immediately. We will invite liver cancer experts to evaluate your condition and give detailed treatment recommendations.
Liver cancer is a high-incidence disease among cancers, and it does great harm to patients’ body. The significance of the examination of cancer symptoms and signs is to detect and determine whether you have cancer through some signals sent by the body. Once you find your body is abnormal in your daily life, you need to go to the hospital for examination in time.
According to cancer experts from Guangzhou Royallee Cancer Center, the 5-year survival rate of liver cancer in the early stage can reach 70% after treatment, while the survival rate of patients in advanced stage only halves. Therefore, it is very important to understand the diagnosis methods of liver cancer. Early detection and early diagnosis are an important part of treatment.
So what are the diagnostic methods for liver cancer?
1. Ultrasound examination: It is of great value for the diagnosis of liver tumor diseases, which can show the size and shape of the tumor. The diagnostic coincidence rate can reach 84%, and it can find lesions with a diameter of 2cm or smaller. This is a non-invasive examination method that is harmless to the human body. This examination is recommended when the body has symptoms such as weight loss, fatigue, liver pain, and other suspected liver cancer symptoms.
2. CT scan: CT has a high resolution and can detect early liver cancer with a diameter of about 1.0cm. The diagnostic coincidence rate for liver cancer is as high as 90%, but it is expensive. Therefore, it is not yet universally applicable.
3. MRI examination: It can improve the detection rate of small liver cancer, and at the same time, it is of great help to distinguish liver cancer from local hyperplastic nodules, liver adenomas, etc. MRI can be used as an important supplement to CT examination.
4. Alpha-fetoprotein: In clinical practice, alpha-fetoprotein is a simple and practical method for diagnosing liver cancer.
5. Selective celiac arteriography or hepatic arteriography: For cancers with abundant blood vessels, sometimes lesions with a diameter of 0.5-1 cm can be detected, and the correct diagnosis rate is as high as 90%. It can detect the location, size and distribution of the lesion. Especially for the location and diagnosis of small liver cancer, it is the optimal examination method.
The prerequisite for effective treatment of liver cancer is the early diagnosis of the disease. With the advancement of medical technology and the continuous application of comprehensive treatment, the treatment effect of early liver cancer has been significantly improved. According to experts from Guangzhou Modern Cancer Hospital, the treatment of liver cancer mainly depends on the patient’s condition, the treatment method adopted, physical fitness, and psychological status. These factors have an impact on the treatment effect and survival time of liver cancer patients. Of course, if reasonable and effective treatment plan is adopted in the early stage, the patients have a high chance of long-term survival.
If you or your family members or friends have been diagnosed with liver cancer, please communicate with us immediately. We will invite liver cancer experts to evaluate your condition and give detailed treatment recommendations.
According to a study by the American Cancer Center, the 5-year survival rate for different stages of liver cancer is as follows:
5-year survival rate of early primary liver cancer: 31%
5-year survival rate of liver cancer with local invasion and lymph node metastasis: 11%
Liver cancer with distant metastasis: 3%
It can be seen that tumor staging is closely related to survival, and early detection and treatment are important factors to improve the survival rate of liver cancer. Oncologists can make better treatment plans only when the stage is clear. How to specifically determine the stage of liver cancer?
If you want to know the treatment plan for different stages of liver cancer, please consult an oncologist online immediately for professional treatment advice.
TNM staging
TNM staging is the most commonly used tumor staging method.
T refers to the tumor (Tumor), the size and location of the tumor, represented by T1~T4 in turn; based on liver cancer staging system of the AJCC (American Joint Committee on Cancer) eighth edition, according to the tumor size and the presence of vascular invasion, T1 is divided into T1a and T1b. T1a refers to the solitary tumor with a diameter ≤ 2 cm, regardless of vascular invasion; T1b refers to a solitary tumor with a diameter > 2 cm and no vascular invasion.
N refers to the lymph nodes (regional lymph Nodes), whether the lymph nodes around the tumor are involved or not, represented by N1~N2 in turn;
M refers to metastasis (Metastasis), whether the tumor has metastasized to other parts of the body. It is represented by M0~M1 in turn.
Liver cancer staging and treatment plan
The treatment plan for each stage of liver cancer is for reference only and cannot be used as the only basis for clinical treatment
Stage I of liver cancer: T1a, T1b, N0, M0 stage
Treatment plan for liver cancer of stage I: palliative liver cancer surgery
Stage II of liver cancer: T2, N0, M0 stage
Treatment plan for liver cancer of stage II: surgical resection, interventional therapy, particle implantation therapy, microwave ablation
Stage III of liver cancer: T3-T4, N0, M0 stage
Treatment plan for liver cancer of stage III: interventional therapy, microwave ablation, particle implantation therapy
Stage IV of liver cancer: any T stage, any N stage, M1 stage
Treatment plan for liver cancer of stage IV: interventional therapy, microwave ablation, particle implantation therapy
Liver cancer recurrence: Compared with breast cancer, lung cancer and other multiple cancers, the postoperative recurrence rate of liver cancer is relatively higher, as high as 60%-70% 5 years after surgery. Usually there are more than one recurrent lesion, and recurrence of multiple sites and liver segments will occur.
Treatment plan for recurrence of liver cancer: interventional therapy, microwave ablation, particle implantation therapy
To find out which treatment plan is suitable for you, we are here to help you. Consult an expert online or fill in the contact form, we will get back to you as soon as possible.
The treatment plan for liver cancer varies from patient to patient based on different stages and conditions.[In Guangzhou Royallee Cancer Center, the multidisciplinary medical team (MDT) will formulate a customized treatment plan for liver cancer patients, based on the patient’s physical condition and tumor stage, size, location and other factors, so that liver cancer patients can avoid surgical resection and the pain of traditional radiotherapy and chemotherapy, to effectively improve the quality of life, prolong survival, and reduce recurrence].
Serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), an indicator for liver cancer, often appears in examination reports, but most patients with liver cancer and their families do not know much about it. In order to help patients and their families better understand this indicator, experts from Guangzhou Royallee Cancer Center give a detailed interpretation of AFP.
If you want to learn more about the contents of the liver cancer report, you can consult an expert online, and a professional oncologist will wholeheartedly answer your questions.
1. What is serum alpha-fetoprotein?
Serum alpha-fetoprotein is an acid glycoprotein that exists in the liver and yolk sac during the early stage of fetal development. It gradually disappears soon after the fetus is born. Generally, the content of alpha-fetoprotein in normal human serum is less than 20μg/L. However, when liver cells become cancerous, they will restore the function of producing this protein. Investigations have shown that about 80% of liver cancer patients have a significant increase in serum alpha-fetoprotein (usually 400μg/L as the criterion), so serum alpha-fetoprotein is often used for screening and early diagnosis of primary liver cancer.
2. Does elevated serum alpha-fetoprotein mean that you have liver cancer?
Serum alpha-fetoprotein is an important indicator in the diagnosis of liver cancer, but it is not an exclusive indicator for liver cancer; when liver cancer occurs, serum alpha-fetoprotein does not necessarily increase, about 20%-30% of liver cancers, or even massive hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs), serum alpha-fetoprotein can never increase. Therefore, it is not the sole basis for liver cancer.
If alpha-fetoprotein content has been greater than 400μg/L for more than 1 month, it is highly suggestive of liver cancer.
When there is an abnormality of serum alpha-fetoprotein in the examination report, follow the doctor’s advice and perform a comprehensive analysis in combination with other serological and imaging examinations.
In addition to serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), there are two other words that often appear in diagnosis reports, namely primary liver cancer and secondary liver cancer.
3. What are primary liver cancer and secondary liver cancer?
Primary liver cancer is a common malignancy which arises from the malignant transmutation of liver cells or intrahepatic bile duct epithelial cells.
Secondary liver cancer is a cancerous tumor that has spread to the liver from a cancer that started in another place in the body. Almost all cancers in each organ can metastasize to the liver to form secondary liver cancer.
If you have any doubts about the pathology report of liver cancer, you can consult online, and professional oncologists will wholeheartedly answer your questions.
The Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Tumors of Guangzhou Royallee Cancer Center is the first benchmark in Guangdong Province that advocates "one-stop" standardized treatment of hepatobiliary and pancreatic tumors. It is personally chaired by Dean Wang Jie, a famous hepatobiliary and pancreatic expert in China, and it is an important part of the national key clinical specialty general surgery. All the doctors in the team have doctoral degrees.
In Guangzhou Royallee Cancer Center, patients with liver cancer can enjoy one-stop hepatobiliary and pancreatic tumor diagnosis and treatment services such as "precise medical treatment, multidisciplinary consultation, individual customization, and VIP", which can comprehensively improve the cure rate of patients, improve the quality of life, and achieve a healthy life .
"One-stop" solution for hepatobiliary and pancreatic tumors: covering personalized and convenient one-stop diagnosis and treatment services such as "surgery, internal medicine, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, interventional therapy, traditional Chinese medicine, biological targeting therapy, immunity and cells, nutrition, rehabilitation, psychology, and MDT". The main forms include "disease science popularization, online consultation and diagnosis and treatment, medical stewardship, pre-diagnosis (pre-operative/outpatient), in-diagnosis (surgery/inpatient), out-of-hospital follow-up, rehabilitation and nursing, health management, and home visits serve".
The characteristics of liver cancer treatment in Guangzhou Royallee Cancer Center:
1. Invasive minimization of routine surgery: The famous specialists in the Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Tumors of Guangzhou Royallee Cancer Center have completed more than 8,000 laparoscopic hepatobiliary and pancreatic operations since Guangdong Province took the lead in carrying out laparoscopic surgery in 1994. It is one of very a few specialized teams in China and the only specialized team in South China to carry out all kinds of highly difficult minimally invasive hepatobiliary pancreatic operation. It has the technical force of one of the three most famous minimally invasive hepatobiliary and pancreatic operation centers in China, and is the first to master the world's most advanced DaVinci robot system for minimally invasive treatment of complex surgery.
2. Refinement of complex surgery: Our comprehensive diagnosis and treatment level of benign and malignant diseases of liver, biliary tract and pancreas based on surgery is firmly in the leading position in Guangdong Province and the advanced level in China; in terms of surgical treatment of complex liver, biliary tract and pancreatic tumors, intrahepatic and extrahepatic biliary system stones and biliary tract injury, it has taken the lead in formulating efficient, systematic and fine diagnosis and treatment standards in China. It is the preferred diagnosis and treatment center for difficult hepatobiliary and pancreatic diseases in South China.
3. Innovation of surgical technology: The famous medical team of our department regularly organizes and presides over the national summit forum on minimally invasive technology for the treatment of hepatobiliary and pancreatic diseases every year, the national continuing education project "Seminar on New Technology Progress in the Diagnosis and Treatment of General Surgery" and "Application of Laparoscopic Technology in the Treatment of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Diseases", which has built a high-level academic exchange platform for colleagues in hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery, motivating the refinement and innovation of specialized surgical techniques, striving to climb the peak of medical science.The team completed Asia's first laparoscopic-assisted portal vein ligation combined with staged liver cancer resection (LP-ALPPS) in 2013, which provides a new treatment option for the treatment of advanced liver cancer.
Rehabilitation of liver cancer requires not only a complete treatment plan, but also meticulous care services. In Guangzhou Royallee Cancer Center, for liver cancer patients, through multidisciplinary diagnosis and treatment, it not only provides patients with personalized treatment plans, but also a full range of nursing services.
The nursing care of liver cancer patients mainly includes diet care, activity care, and psychological counseling.
1. Diet care: If liver cancer patients with accompanying symptoms of obvious abnormal liver function or ascites, appetite will be significantly affected. It is clinically recommended to eat less amount and more meals, and to maintain a light diet, and appropriate protein supplements. According to the patient's appetite, the number of meals per day can be increased to 6 times, or appropriate supplements of fruit or yogurt between the 3 main meals. The diet is mainly light and ensures adequate nutrition, including lean meat, eggs and milk, and it is recommended to drink yogurt for dairy products, which can supplement the intestinal flora. At the same time, avoid eating fried and deep fried foods, and avoid eating animal fat. With lean meat it is advised to choose beef, ribs, etc., to supplement protein. Patients should avoid choosing hard vegetables and eating them after they become soft after cooking, and avoid irritating vegetables, such as peppers, raw onions, and raw garlic. In addition, you can properly consume fruits with low sugar content. It is recommended to choose oranges, bananas, apples, etc.;
2. Activity care: If you are in a mild condition, you can take a walk, or take appropriate activities outdoors or indoors with a company. For patients who are unable to get out of bed, limb extension and flexion exercises can be carried out in bed. Muscle massage can be performed for patients with systemic pain or long-term bed rest;
3. Psychological counseling: Because patients with liver cancer are more fearful, attention should be paid to reducing their psychological pressure and increasing their determination to overcome the disease. Maintain a more optimistic and positive attitude, and the immune function of patients will be improved. If in a state of fear, the patient's immune function will also be affected, so psychological counseling is also very important.
4. If there is yellowing of the skin and mucous membranes of the whole body, certain anti-yellowing treatments should be given, such as liver protecting drugs and external drainage by percutaneous liver puncture. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen the care of the drainage tube, keep the percutaneous transhepatic drainage tube unobstructed, and at the same time replace the drainage bag in time to avoid retrograde infection causing aggravation of the disease.
Guangzhou Royallee Cancer Center has rich clinical experience in the treatment and nursing care of liver cancer, helping a large number of liver cancer patients to restore their health. If you are troubled by liver cancer, please contact us, and our authoritative expert team will provide you with further evaluation and suggestions as soon as possible.
Can middle and or advanced stage liver cancer be cured? Minimally invasive treatment with less trauma, fewer side effects, and good curative effect can effectively help patients preserve liver tissue, avoid surgical resection, and avoid the pain of traditional radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
If you or your family members or friends have been diagnosed with liver cancer, please communicate with us immediately. We will invite liver cancer experts to evaluate your condition and give detailed treatment recommendations.
Classification of liver cancer
According to the pathological classification, liver cancer can be divided into four types: diffuse type, massive type, nodular type, and small type.
According to the presence of liver cancer capsule, whether it is accompanied with cirrhosis, and the presence or absence of portal vein tumor thrombus (some liver cancer has portal vein tumor thrombus in the early stage), liver cancer is divided into five types: invasive liver cancer, swelling liver cancer, invasive swelling liver cancer, diffuse liver cancer, and special liver cancer.
According to the different tissue sources of liver cancer, it can be divided into three types: hepatocellular carcinoma, intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, and mixed liver cancer.
Liver cancer staging and 5-year survival rate
5-year survival rate of early primary liver cancer: 31%
5-year survival rate of liver cancer with local invasion and lymph node metastasis: 11%
Liver cancer with distant metastasis: 3%
Painful traditional treatment techniques-
Surgical resection: large trauma and high risk
Radiotherapy and chemotherapy: unbearable toxic side effects: frequent urination, hair loss, vomiting, decreased immunity
Innovative minimally invasive treatment technology to effectively improve the quality of life of patients and prolong survival-
Minimally invasive technique: 2-3 mm incision, less side effects and less pain.
Microwave ablation: Liver cancer cells are "heated to death", and the wound is only the size of a needle; the operation time is short. Generally, a tumor with a diameter of about 6 cm can be ablated in 10 minutes. The operation risk is low and the indications are wide.
Interventional therapy: 1-2 mm incision, local medication, precise killing of cancer cells.
Seed implantation therapy: The particles only work in liver tumors, and the continuous radiation kills cancer cells for up to 180 days.
If you want to know which cancer technique is suitable for you, please consult an expert online immediately, or fill in the contact form, and we will arrange for a professor to reply to you as soon as possible.
