Liver Cancer has always been a difficult diagnosis. And today, the number of people who develop liver cancer is increasing, making primary liver cancer the fastest-rising cause of cancer-related death in India. Cancer in the liver is a complex condition that requires an experienced, multidisciplinary team of specialists, working together to deliver the very best treatment plan for you. The treatment plan will depend on a number of factors like: condition of liver, spread of cancer inside as well as outside liver and overall health. 

Surgery and liver transplantation are the best treatment modalities for liver cancer. Surgery is suitable for tumors which are confined to liver, whereas liver transplantation is the best treatment options for patients with early-stage liver cancer (Hepatocellular carcinoma) with underlying liver cirrhosis. Recently, there has been significant progress in the field of downstaging modalities for hepatocellular carcinoma and it was realized that those patients who respond to downstaging treatments have reasonable survival after liver transplantation. 

Advanced cancer that has spread, can’t be treated through liver surgery. A recent study in 2020, they found that the combination of atezolizumab  plus bevacizumab was more effective than sorafenib alone for treating advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. Scientists have been studying other combinations of medications for liver cancer also. External beam radiation therapy (EBRT) is a form of radiation therapy used to treat liver cancer and have shown promising results in patients who have such cancer with compromised liver functions due to cirrhosis or hepatitis. 

Finally, a tailored or customized approach for individual patient is a core aspect of precision medicine for liver cancer which would include combination of medications and procedures. Treatment of liver cancer is more and more a team effort and needs to take place in the context of a well-integrated interdisciplinary program to achieve the best outcomes.

It is quite satisfying as a surgeon to treat patients with complex and challenging cancers and able to help them and give them hope. It is a real privilege to work with a team of colleagues who are caring, compassionate and exceptional at what they do

 – Dr Hitesh Chavda