Test and diagnosis
- Blood test – liver function test (LFT)
- Ultrasound scan
- CT scan
- MRI scan
- Removal of a sample of liver tissue for testing (biopsy)
Treatment
The type of treatment will be determined based on the cancer stage, cancer location, and patient’s general health. Surgery is the best treatment for liver cancer. However, surgery will be unlikely if the cancer size is large or has spread to other parts of the body.
There are a number of different types of surgery that can be used to treat liver cancer.
- Partial hepatectomy surgery – the partial removal of the liver.
- Lobectomy surgery – the removal of a whole lobe of liver.
- Liver transplant surgery – the removal of the entire liver and replacing it with another person’s liver.
For partial hepatectomy surgery and lobectomy surgery, the liver will be able to repair itself and can grow back to its original size within a few weeks. However, if the liver is cirrhotic, it cannot grow back. Therefore before the surgery is performed, the liver should be biopsied to determine its conditions.
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