Can liver transplantation be performed in advanced liver cancer? What are the symptoms of lung metastasis of liver cancer?

The harm of liver cancer is not only that it causes a series of clinical symptoms due to damaged liver function and circulatory disorders, but also causes distant metastasis and even multiple metastases in the late stage. It is extremely difficult to treat and there are fewer treatment options. So, is liver transplantation possible in the late stage of liver cancer? What are the symptoms of lung metastasis of liver cancer and how to treat it? In response to these questions, we invited Zhong Xuanfang, deputy chief physician of Huizhou First People's Hospital, to answer them for us.

Can liver transplantation be performed in advanced liver cancer?

Liver transplantation is not suitable for patients with advanced liver cancer. If liver cancer is combined with cirrhosis, liver transplantation is an effective treatment for liver cancer because it can remove the entire diseased liver. However, if liver cancer has already invaded blood vessels or metastasized to distant sites, liver transplantation is not suitable. Diseases that can cause cirrhosis include: chronic hepatitis B, hepatitis C, alcoholic liver disease, fatty liver, drug-induced liver damage, autoimmune liver disease, cholestatic liver disease, chronic circulatory disorders, etc.

What are the symptoms of liver cancer lung metastasis?

When liver cancer metastasizes to the lungs, it is usually in the late stage. In addition to the symptoms of the liver disease itself, patients may experience coughing, hemoptysis, shortness of breath, chest pain, and other symptoms, which may be accompanied by systemic symptoms such as fever, weight loss, and fatigue. The symptoms vary depending on the location of the lesion. For example, if the lesion is close to the pleura, pleural effusion and shortness of breath may occur. If liver cancer patients have coughs and blood in their sputum, they should pay attention.

How to treat liver cancer metastasis to the lungs?

There are two different treatment methods for liver cancer metastasis to the lungs. One is that the liver cancer has been treated surgically. If it has metastasized to the lungs, it is considered local metastasis. If there are surgical conditions, another surgical treatment can be considered. The other is that the liver cancer has not been treated surgically. If it has metastasized locally, radiofrequency treatment, interventional treatment, etc. can be used.

Conservative treatment is generally recommended for patients with advanced liver cancer. For patients with liver cancer that has already metastasized to distant sites, liver transplantation cannot solve the problem. The tumor cells have not only invaded the liver, but also other organs in the body. Simply transplanting a healthy liver cannot guarantee that tumor cells elsewhere can be killed. Therefore, for patients with advanced liver cancer, symptomatic supportive treatment is mainly used to alleviate the patient's pain, improve their quality of life as much as possible, and prolong their survival.