How does anhydrous ethanol injection treat liver cancer

Anhydrous ethanol injection is one of the important methods of tumor interventional treatment and an effective method for treating small hepatocellular carcinoma. Since the 1980s, it has been widely used in the treatment of small hepatocellular carcinoma, and its efficacy is no less than surgical resection.

Principle of Anhydrous Ethanol Injection in Treating Liver Cancer

Anhydrous ethanol injection is also called chemical ablation. The principle of its injection treatment for liver cancer is to inject chemical ablative agents such as ethanol into the center of the tumor and nearby vascular endothelial cells under the guidance of B-ultrasound or CT, so that the liver cancer cells are rapidly dehydrated and the proteins coagulate and denature, thereby destroying the tumor cells; at the same time, the endothelial cells of the blood vessel walls in the tumor tissue will also degenerate and necrotize, followed by thrombosis, leading to ischemia and necrosis of the tumor.

The process and advantages of anhydrous ethanol injection in the treatment of liver cancer

The basic steps of this method for treating liver cancer are as follows: first, the patient's skin is locally anesthetized, and then, under ultrasound guidance, an extremely fine puncture needle is used to enter the tumor nodule and slowly inject anhydrous ethanol. This method is simple, safe, and minimally harmful to the patient. It can be completed in an outpatient clinic, and it is low-cost, economical and effective.

Indications for anhydrous ethanol injection in the treatment of liver cancer

However, not all liver cancer patients can use the anhydrous ethanol injection method, because it also has certain indications. This method is mainly for patients whose tumor diameter does not exceed 3 cm and the number of tumor nodules is less than 3. If the patient has obvious abnormalities in liver function, such as jaundice, ascites, and coagulation dysfunction, anhydrous ethanol injection treatment is not suitable.