Is liver cancer curable?

Although the AJCC (TNM) staging system (see Liver Cancer Stages) is often used to describe the spread of a liver cancer precisely, doctors use a more practical system to determine treatment options. Liver cancers are categorized as: potentially resectable or transplantable, unresectable, inoperable with only local disease, and advanced. read more

Any liver cancer is difficult to cure. Primary liver cancer is rarely detectable early, when it is most treatable. Secondary or metastatic liver cancer is hard to treat because it has already spread. The liver's complex network of blood vessels and bile ducts makes surgery difficult. read more

If caught in an early stage, liver cancer is curable. However, it can only be cured by a liver transplant or surgery. Furthermore, there is a high recurrence rate of liver cancer that has been removed by surgery. Other treatments will usually only shrink the tumor or slow its growth. Radiation can be ineffective. read more

Larger tumors or those that invade blood vessels are more likely to come back in the liver or spread elsewhere after surgery. The function of the rest of the liver and your general health are also important. For some people with early-stage liver cancer, a liver transplant could be another option. read more

Treatment of liver cancer in adults depends on the stage. Treatment options include hepatectomy, liver transplant, ablation, electroporation therapy (EPT), embolization therapy, targeted therapy, and/or radiation therapy. Learn more about treatment for the different stages of liver cancer. read more