🧬 Liver Cancer

The liver is the body's largest internal organ, located on the upper right side of the abdomen. It filters blood, produces bile for digestion, and detoxifies chemicals and drugs.

Primary liver cancer

Cancer that originates in the liver itself. The most common form is Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC).

Secondary (metastatic) liver cancer

Cancer that started elsewhere in the body (e.g., colon, breast) and spread to the liver. This is more common than primary liver cancer.

Liver cancer is closely linked to chronic liver disease. Key risk factors include:

Hepatitis B or C infection

The most significant risk factor for HCC in the Philippines. Chronic hepatitis causes ongoing liver inflammation that can eventually lead to cancer.

Liver cirrhosis

Scarring of the liver from any cause (hepatitis, alcoholism, fatty liver disease) significantly raises the risk.

Excessive alcohol consumption

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)

Linked to obesity and type 2 diabetes

Aflatoxin exposure

A toxin found in mouldy peanuts and corn

Family history

of liver cancer

Liver cancer often does not cause symptoms in early stages. When symptoms appear, they may include:

• Unexplained weight loss

• Loss of appetite

• Upper abdominal pain, especially on the right side

• Nausea or vomiting

• General weakness and fatigue

• Abdominal swelling (ascites — fluid accumulation)

• Yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice)

• White, chalky stools

• Fever that doesn't resolve

If liver cancer is suspected, your doctor may order:

Blood tests

Including AFP (alpha-fetoprotein), a protein that may be elevated in liver cancer

Ultrasound

A painless scan to look for tumours in the liver

CT scan or MRI

Detailed imaging to assess tumour size, location, and spread

Liver biopsy

In some cases, tissue removal for definitive diagnosis

Hepatitis B/C testing

To understand the underlying cause

Several staging systems are used for liver cancer. A simplified overview:

Very early / Early stage

Single small tumour, liver function preserved. Surgery (resection) or ablation may be curative.

Intermediate stage

Multiple tumours but no spread outside liver. TACE (transarterial chemoembolisation) is commonly used.

Advanced stage

Spread to blood vessels or distant organs. Targeted therapy (e.g., Sorafenib, Lenvatinib) and immunotherapy are primary options.

Terminal stage

Severe liver dysfunction. Treatment focuses on comfort and quality of life.

Surgical Resection

Removal of the tumour and a margin of healthy tissue. Most effective for early-stage tumours when liver function is preserved and the patient is otherwise healthy.

Liver Transplantation

For patients meeting specific criteria (Milan criteria), a liver transplant offers the possibility of cure by removing both the tumour and the damaged liver.

Ablation Therapies

Minimally invasive procedures that destroy tumour cells without surgery: - Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) — Uses heat from radio waves to destroy cancer cells - Microwave Ablation (MWA) — Similar to RFA but uses microwave energy - HIFU (High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound) — Uses focused ultrasound waves to heat and destroy the tumour, entirely non-invasive - Cryoablation — Freezes cancer cells to destroy them

Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA)

Uses heat from radio waves to destroy cancer cells

Microwave Ablation (MWA)

Similar to RFA but uses microwave energy

HIFU (High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound)

Uses focused ultrasound waves to heat and destroy the tumour, entirely non-invasive

Cryoablation

Freezes cancer cells to destroy them

TACE — Transarterial Chemoembolisation

A procedure in which chemotherapy drugs are delivered directly to the tumour through the blood vessels that supply it, followed by blocking those vessels (embolisation) to cut off the tumour's blood supply. Widely used in China for intermediate-stage HCC.

Targeted Therapy

Drugs like Sorafenib (Nexavar) and Lenvatinib (Lenvima) slow tumour growth by blocking specific proteins that cancer cells need to grow.

Immunotherapy

Checkpoint inhibitors like atezolizumab combined with bevacizumab have shown strong results in advanced HCC and are now standard first-line treatment in many centres. 🌟 Why China for Liver Cancer? China has among the world's highest volume of liver cancer cases, making its hospitals exceptionally experienced in HCC treatment. Interventional oncologists in China are highly skilled in TACE, ablation, and HIFU — and many cutting-edge combination protocols originated in Chinese cancer centres. Access to newer TARE (Transarterial Radioembolisation) with Y-90 microspheres is also available. Request a Liver Cancer Specialist Review Our partner interventional oncologists and hepatobiliary surgeons can review your imaging and pathology to recommend a personalised treatment plan. Register for a Consultation

Request a Liver Cancer Specialist Review

Our partner interventional oncologists and hepatobiliary surgeons can review your imaging and pathology to recommend a personalised treatment plan.