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Liver Cancer: Uniting For Strength, Inspiring Hope Together

Liver cancer poses significant challenges, often diagnosed late. Yet, through early detection, advanced treatments, and unwavering support, we strive to improve outcomes and offer hope to those affected.

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Insights Of Liver Cancer

With extensive training, experience, and dedication to patient care offering the comprehensive services tailored to meet the unique needs of each individual.

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Liver Overview: Essential Functions

The largest organ in your abdomen is the liver. On the right side of your body, it is behind your ribs.The liver gets its supply of blood from two vessels. Most of its blood comes from the portal vein. The rest comes from the hepatic artery.

The Liver Plays A Crucial Role In Maintaining Your Health By:
  • It removes harmful substances from the blood.
  • It makes enzymes and bile that help digest food.
  • It also converts food into substances needed for life and growth.
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About Liver Cancer

When normal liver cells become abnormal and grow too quickly, cancer develops. A tumor is a mass of abnormal cells in the liver. Malignant (cancer) tumors have the potential to spread to other parts of the body. Hepatocytes, or liver cells, are where most primary liver cancers begin. Hepatocellular carcinoma or hepatoma is the name given to this kind of cancer.

The Reason Of The Liver Cancer Generally Happens:
  • Liver cancer commonly arises from the spread of cancer originating in other parts of the body, a process known as
    metastasis.
  • Metastatic liver cancer, such as from the colon, lungs, or breasts, is not considered primary liver cancer but rather cancer that has spread to the liver.
  • Treatment approaches for metastatic liver cancer differ from those for primary liver cancer, and the location of the cancer’s primary origin influences the treatment plan.
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The Causes Of Liver Cancer

It’s normal to wonder what might have caused cancer when you get a diagnosis. It’s not always clear to doctors why one person develops liver cancer while another does not. However, we do know that certain risk factors may make some people more likely to develop liver cancer than others.

Risk Factors For Liver Cancers Are:
  • Chronic infection with hepatitis B or C viruses is a significant cause of liver cancer.
  • Long-term alcohol consumption, exposure to aflatoxins (toxins produced by certain molds), and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are also known causes of liver cancer.

All of the aforementioned risk factors harm liver cells and replace them with scar tissue, resulting in a bumpy, nodular liver. Almost all cases of liver cancer occur in people who first developed cirrhosis, typically as a result of hepatitis B or C infection or excessive alcohol consumption.

The Factors Associated With Liver Cancer Includes:

A factor that could make you more likely to get a disease is called a risk factor. The following risk factors for liver cancer have been identified by studies:

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Explore Some Common Symptoms Of The Liver Cancer

Frequently, early liver cancer does not manifest symptoms. At the point when the disease develops bigger, individuals might see at least one of these normal side effects.

A lump or heaviness in the upper abdomen , Swollen abdomen (bloating), Loss of appetite and feelings of fullness, Weight loss, Weakness or feeling very tired, Nausea and vomiting, Yellow skin and eyes, pale stools, and dark urine from jaundice Fever.

If you’re browsing this site without a liver cancer diagnosis, note that many symptoms are nonspecific and may stem from various conditions. Consult your primary care physician if any persist for proper evaluation.

Discover The Typical Symptoms Associated With Liver Cancer

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Pain in the upper abdomen on the right side

Pain in the upper abdomen on the right side can indicate conditions like gallstones, liver inflammation, or pancreatitis, requiring medical evaluation for proper diagnosis and treatment.

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Swollen abdomen (bloating)

Reasons for abdominal swelling. The cancer’s spread may cause the liver to expand. Swelling over the right side of your abdomen may result from this. Or, a buildup of fluid can lead to generalized abdominal swelling known as Ascites.

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A lump or feeling of heaviness in the upper abdomen

A lump or feeling of heaviness in the upper abdomen may suggest issues such as an enlarged liver, abdominal hernia, or tumors, necessitating assessment by a healthcare provider.

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Loss of appetite and feelings of fullness, Weight Loss,

Loss of appetite, feelings of fullness, and unexplained weight loss are common symptoms of various conditions, including gastrointestinal disorders or cancers, warranting medical attention to determine the underlying cause.

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Weakness or feeling very tired, Fever, Nausea and vomiting

Weakness, fatigue, fever, nausea, and vomiting can indicate infections, systemic illnesses, or organ dysfunction, requiring prompt medical evaluation to identify and manage the underlying condition.

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Yellow skin and eyes, pale stools, and dark urine from jaundice

Yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice), pale stools, and dark urine often indicate liver or bile duct problems such as hepatitis, gallstones, or pancreatic cancer, necessitating urgent medical assessment for diagnosis and treatment.

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Treatment For Liver Cancer

Doctors are better able to determine which treatments are most likely to be effective for a given type and stage of cancer thanks to their years of experience treating cancer patients and participating in clinical trials.

Surgery, ablation, chemo-embolization, targeted therapy, and radiation therapy are all options for liver cancer patients. Frequently, multiple treatments may be required.

The Treatment That’s Right For You Depends Mainly On The Following:
  • The number, size, and location of tumors in your liver.
  • How well your liver is working and whether you have cirrhosis
  • Whether the cancer has spread outside your liver?

 

At this time, liver cancer can only be cured if discovered early & if the patient is healthy enough to undergo surgery. Other treatments may be able to help people who are unable to have surgery live longer and feel better.

Tests Are Carried Out By A Doctor To Diagnose Liver Cancer

The most common tests are listed here. Your doctor will choose the tests that will provide the most information about the tumor or disease. Not all of the tests need to be done.

The doctor may obtain tissue in one of several ways:
  • A needle through the skin: (FNAC) The doctor inserts a thin needle into the liver to remove a small amount of tissue. CT or ultrasound may be used to guide the needle.
  • Laparoscopic surgery: The surgeon makes a few small incisions in your abdomen. A thin, lighted tube (laparoscope) is inserted through the incision. The laparoscope has a tool to remove tissue from the liver.
  • Open surgery: The surgeon can remove tissue from the liver through a large incision.
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Ultrasound Of The Abdomen

This test can be one of the first ones done to see if there is a problem with the liver and gives an idea of how it looks.

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Physical Examination

Your doctor will check your liver, spleen, and other nearby organs for any lumps or changes in their size or shape. Additionally, ascites, an abnormal accumulation of fluid in the abdomen, is examined by your doctor. Your eyes and skin may also be examined for signs of jaundice.

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Computerised Tomography (CT) Scan

A CT scan is an x-ray that shows your body’s organs and structures, including any tumors. It is used to examine a cancer in greater detail and its relationship to your body’s surrounding organs. Additionally, it provides data on the spread of cancer.

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Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

Similar to a CT scan, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) creates images of your abdomen’s organs using magnetism rather than x-rays. Like a CT check, X-ray is effortless and the attraction is innocuous.

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Blood Tests

Blood tests will include AFP (alphafetoprotein), a specific tumor marker test, in addition to haemoglobin and liver function tests. This blood test looks for a substance (AFP) that liver cancer cells produce in large quantities. Additionally, markers for the viral infections Hepatitis B and C may be examined. Anti-HCV and HBsAg). If the doctors think the tumor is coming from the bile ducts or gallbladder rather than the liver cells, they may order a Ca19-9 blood test.

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Tumor Biopsy

A biopsy is when a pathologist uses a small amount of tissue taken from an abnormally found area or lump to make a diagnosis under a microscope. Although a biopsy is not always necessary to diagnose liver cancer, the doctor may remove a tissue sample that can be examined under a microscope in some instances.

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Surgery For Liver Cancer

For people with liver cancer in its early stages, surgery is the best treatment option. If laboratory tests show that the liver is functioning normally and there is no evidence that the cancer has spread, a person with liver cancer may have part of the liver removed. The degree of the medical procedure relies upon the size, number, and area of the cancer.

After determining that the remaining liver is sufficient for the body to function properly, the affected portion of the liver is removed. Partial hepatectomy (also known as liver resection) refers to surgery to remove a portion of the liver, and right or left hepatectomy refers to the procedure, respectively.

Liver Surgery And Transplantation Overview:

Partial Hepatectomy:
  • Surgery to remove a portion of the liver.
  • Right or left hepatectomy refers to the removal of the right or left portion of the liver, respectively.
  • Up to 70% of the liver can be removed if the remaining portion is healthy.
Liver Regeneration:
  • After partial hepatectomy, the remaining healthy liver can regrow.
  • New liver cells develop over several weeks to restore liver function.
Liver Transplantation:
  • In some cases, the entire liver may need to be removed.
  • Healthy liver tissue from a donor replaces the diseased liver.
  • Finding a suitable donor liver may take time, delaying treatment.
  • Strict eligibility criteria must be met for liver transplant candidates.
Post-Transplant Medications:
  • Post liver transplant, medications are necessary to prevent organ rejection.
  • These medications suppress the immune system and reduce its ability to fight cancer.

Radio Frequency Ablation (RFA)

Cirrhosis or other conditions that impair liver function, the location of the tumor within the liver, or other health issues may prevent surgery to remove the tumor in some instances. Ablation is a method of local destruction used in these situations.

  • Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is the most common method of ablation for treating liver tumors.
  • During RFA, a specialized instrument with tiny electrodes is used to deliver radio waves and heat to the tumor, killing cancer cells.
  • The procedure is typically performed under ultrasound or CT scan guidance to ensure precise targeting of the tumor.
  • RFA works best for tumors sized 3-5 cm, but larger tumors up to 7 cm can also be ablated with specialized probes.
  • It can be performed under appropriate anesthesia in the operating room, with the probe inserted through a small incision in the abdomen or directly through the skin.
  • RFA can be repeated multiple times if necessary and usually requires a brief hospital stay.
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1TACE - Trans Arterial Chemo-Embolization

This sort of therapy gives the chemotherapy straightforwardly to the region of the liver that contains the disease. You may need to stay in the hospital for an extended period of time, depending on the drugs that were used. If you are unable to undergo surgery to remove your tumor, your doctor may suggest it. It is also sometimes used to shrink a tumor down to the size that it can be removed surgically later.

  • TACE treatment is typically performed in the Cathlab or the X-ray department of the hospital.
  • The procedure involves inserting a catheter into the femoral artery, guiding it to the hepatic artery, and administering chemotherapy drugs directly to the liver tumor site.
  • The doctor ensures proper positioning of the catheter in the liver before proceeding with the treatment.
  • After administering chemotherapy through the catheter, a substance such as gel or small plastic beads is injected to block the blood flow to the tumor, depriving it of essential nutrients and oxygen.
  • Chemoembolization may result in adverse effects. You might feel or be wiped out. Or on the other hand you might have some aggravation or a raised temperature after the treatment. To manage these side effects, your doctor will prescribe painkillers or antisickness medications (antiemetics).
  • You may have chemoembolization more than once if your doctor thinks it will help.

TARE - Trans Arterial Radio-Embolization

  • This treatment, known as radioembolization, uses radiation particles instead of chemotherapy drugs, delivered via a catheter.
  • Microspheres, small beads, are fed into the hepatic artery, the main blood vessel supplying the liver, to block blood flow to the cancerous area.
  • These microspheres contain a radioactive substance called Yttrrium-90, which kills cancer cells by emitting radiation.
  • Care must be taken to avoid shunting blood from the liver to the lungs, as radiation particles may inadvertently reach the lungs and cause damage.
  • The procedure is typically carried out in two steps: first, to assess the extent of blood shunting to the lungs, and second, to perform the actual treatment if shunting is within acceptable limits. If excessive shunting is detected, the procedure cannot be conducted.
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Risk factors include chronic hepatitis B or C infection, cirrhosis (scarring of the liver), excessive alcohol consumption, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), exposure to aflatoxins (toxins produced by molds on food), and certain genetic conditions.

Common signs include abdominal pain or tenderness, swelling in the abdomen, unexplained weight loss, loss of appetite, fatigue, jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes), and easy bruising or bleeding.

Healthy lifestyle choices, such as limiting alcohol intake, maintaining a healthy weight, and avoiding exposure to hepatitis viruses, can help reduce the risk of liver cancer.

Liver cancer is diagnosed through imaging tests such as CT scan or MRI, blood tests to detect liver function and tumor markers, and biopsy to examine tissue samples under a microscope for cancerous cells.

? Treatment options depend on the stage and extent of the cancer but may include surgery to remove the tumor, liver transplant, ablation therapy (using heat or cold to destroy the tumor), chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and radiation therapy. Palliative care may also be used to manage symptoms and improve quality of life.

Looking For Another Perspective On Liver Cancer Insights?

About doctor

Dr. Deepak Chhabra

MS. (Bom), DNB, M.R.C.S. (Edin. UK)
Fellow GI Surgical Oncology & Robotics (Seoul, Korea)
Specialist HPB Training (Nagoya Univ, Japan)

Dr. Deepak Chhabra is a consultant Surgical Oncologist with an extensive experience in cancer surgeries. He is has specialized in Hepato (Liver) -Biliary (Gallbladder) and Pancreatic Cancer Surgeries.

  • Member at the Department of Surgical Oncology at Lilavati Hospital, Mumbai
  • First clinical Co-Ordinator of the Asia-Pacific Neuroendocrine tumor registry (AP-NET registry) in India.
  • One of few specialist in Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Cancer Surgeries from Nagoya University in Japan.
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15

Years Of Experience

5000

Critical Surgeries

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    “Two years back had my father's major Liver surgery done by Doctor Deepak Chhabra, right now he is absolutely fit and fine. As a Doctor he is very well mannered calm & easily understand the condition of the patient. He use to explain comprehensively about the infection and procedure of surgery and its pros and cons. Respectful Doctor in the field of Oncosurgery/Surgical Oncology in mumbai. Recommended doctor by some of the best Cancer Doctors & Medical Oncologist in Mumbai."

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