How liver cancer is formed? Introduction to 5 liver cancer treatment methods

As we all know, cancer is easy to metastasize, and liver cancer is difficult to detect and cure. In addition, liver cancer cells are easy to metastasize, which increases the difficulty of treating liver cancer. This reminds us of the importance of cancer prevention. Liver cancer may really be a disease caused by diet. It is very important to quit smoking, drink less, and pay attention to your own health.

How does liver cancer develop?

Liver cancer is the result of the synergistic effect of multiple factors, mainly related to hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, aflatoxin, drinking water pollution, lack of certain trace elements, genetic factors, alcoholism and other factors. The relationship between chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and liver cancer has attracted widespread attention. Data show that 20% of patients with liver cirrhosis in my country have a history of hepatitis; 56% can be found to have positive indicators of hepatitis B and hepatitis C virus infection; and among patients with liver cirrhosis, 16.5%-51.5% may develop liver cancer; 26% of people in high-incidence areas of liver cancer may be hepatitis B patients or long-term hepatitis B and hepatitis C virus carriers. It can be seen that the incidence of liver cancer is closely related to hepatitis and cirrhosis.

How to detect it early

As for how to detect liver cancer early, people who do not have hepatitis B should be vaccinated; if they have hepatitis B, they should be treated early. People with a history of hepatitis B or a family history of cancer, a history of alcoholism for more than 5-8 years and clinical manifestations of chronic liver disease, and patients with confirmed cirrhosis are all high-risk groups. This group of people needs regular follow-up observation. It is recommended to have a comprehensive examination of biochemical and imaging indicators of liver disease at least every six months, including B-ultrasound and alpha-fetoprotein (AFp). Once a suspicious lesion is found, further examinations such as CT should be performed to confirm the diagnosis. If the patient's AFp continues to rise and B-ultrasound and CT tests cannot support the diagnosis, hepatic artery angiography should be further performed, which is of great value for the discovery of early small liver cancers and liver cancer sub-foci.

Treatments for liver cancer

Individualized comprehensive treatment according to different stages of liver cancer is the key to improving the efficacy; treatment methods include surgery, hepatic artery ligation, hepatic artery chemoembolization, radiofrequency, cryosurgery, laser, microwave, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Biological treatment and traditional Chinese medicine are also widely used in the treatment of liver cancer.

1. Surgical treatment

Surgery is the first choice and the most effective method for treating liver cancer. Surgical methods include radical liver resection, palliative liver resection, etc.

For liver cancer that cannot be removed, treatments such as intraoperative hepatic artery ligation, hepatic artery chemoembolization, radiofrequency, cryosurgery, laser, and microwave can be used according to specific circumstances and have certain effects. Primary liver cancer is also one of the indications for liver transplantation.

2. Chemotherapy

If the laparotomy reveals that the tumor cannot be removed, or as a follow-up treatment for palliative tumor resection, regional chemoembolization can be performed by placing a pump (subcutaneous buried perfusion device) in the hepatic artery and/or portal vein. For those who are estimated to be unresectable by surgery, radiological intervention can also be performed, with selective cannulation through the femoral artery to the hepatic artery, and injection of embolic agents (commonly used such as iodized oil) and anticancer drugs for chemoembolization. Some patients may therefore have the opportunity for surgical resection.

3. Radiation therapy

For patients with good general condition, good liver function, no cirrhosis, no jaundice, ascites, hypersplenism and esophageal varices, relatively localized cancer, no distant metastasis, and who are not suitable for surgical resection or have recurrence after surgery, comprehensive treatment with radiation as the main method can be used.

4. Biological therapy

Commonly used ones include immune RNA, interferon, interleukin-2, thymosin, etc., which can be used in combination with chemotherapy.

5. Treatment with traditional Chinese medicine

The method of syndrome differentiation and treatment, combined with attack and supplement, is often used in conjunction with other therapies to enhance the body's resistance to disease, improve overall condition and symptoms, and reduce adverse reactions to chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Where is liver cancer likely to metastasize?

Like other malignant tumors, liver cancer cells are prone to metastasis, but do you know how liver cancer metastasizes? There are three main ways of metastasis: blood metastasis, lymphatic metastasis, and implantation metastasis.

Among the three metastatic pathways of liver cancer, hematogenous metastasis is the most common. The first is intrahepatic metastasis of liver cancer, such as the formation of portal vein tumor thrombus, which is manifested by the presence of substantial tumor thrombus in the portal vein branch on the same side of the liver cancer. It should be noted that some tumor thrombus can grow along the portal vein to the main trunk of the portal vein. Intrahepatic metastasis of liver cancer can also be manifested as multiple small metastatic foci around liver cancer nodules. Clinically, these metastatic foci are called satellite foci or sub-foci.

Liver cancer can also spread to distant organs through the blood, forming metastatic lesions. Clinically, the organ to which liver cancer most often metastasizes is the lungs, which are mainly manifested by round nodules around the lungs. Most of them are multiple and look like cotton balls on chest X-rays. Liver cancer can also metastasize to bones, adrenal glands, brain, etc. In addition, lymphatic metastasis of liver cancer is not uncommon. The hilar, perihepatic, peripancreatic, and retroperitoneal lymph nodes are often involved. Para-aortic and supraclavicular lymph node metastases can also be seen.