Liver
metastases refers to when a cancer that originally formed in another part of
the body spreads to the liver. Some healthcare professionals may call liver
metastases "secondary liver cancer."
The cancer cells that develop in liver
metastases are not cells from the liver. They are cells from the part of the
body where the cancer originated.
Because the
cancer has spread to the liver from another part of the body, a doctor may
refer to liver metastases as stage 4 or advanced cancer.
Primary liver cancer is less
common than liver metastases. Typically, people with primary liver cancer have
risk factors such as cirrhosis or hepatitis.
Symptoms
The early stages of liver
metastases may not present any noticeable symptoms. As the tumorin the liver
advances, however, the liver may swell.
The swelling
can cause an obstruction to blood and bile flow. When this occurs, a person may
experience symptoms such as:
weight loss
dark urine
loss of appetite
abdominal bloating
jaundice, or a yellowing
of the skin and eyes
nausea and vomiting
enlarged liver
pain in the right shoulder
pain in the upper right side of the abdomen
confusion
fever
fatigue
sweating
A person with
cancer in another area of the body who notices new symptoms should let their
healthcare provider know as soon as possible.
If a person has symptoms of
liver cancer, a healthcare provider might suspect liver metastases.
After
performing an initial examination and asking some questions, they will need to
run tests to confirm that liver cancer is present.
Some of the
tests they may run include:
a CT scan of the
abdomen
liver functions tests, which check how well the liver is
functioning
ultrasound of the liver
laparoscopy, which involves a flexible tube that allows the
doctor to take a biopsy of the liver
angiogram, wherein a doctor uses dye to make high-contrast
images of the liver
an MRI scan
Treatment for common types
Treating liver
metastases typically aims to alleviate symptoms and increase life expectancy.
In most cases, there is no way to cure liver metastases.
There are two
treatment approaches for liver metastases: local and systematic. A person's age
and overall health status will determine what approach a doctor may suggest.
Treatment will
also depend on where the primary cancer is, the size and number of tumors on
the liver, and any past treatments the person has tried.
Some local
treatment options include:
radiofrequency ablation, which uses high-frequency electrical
currents to create enough heat to kill cancer cells
radiation therapy, which
can be from injected radiation or machines that use a beam of radiation to
target a tumor
Systematic
treatments may target cancer throughout the body via the bloodstream. Some
possible options for liver metastases include:
biological response modifier therapy, which helps boost the
body's immune system
chemotherapy, which uses
drugs to target rapidly growing cells throughout the body
hormone therapy, which targets cancers that rely on hormones to
grow, such as breast cancer
targeted therapy, which directly targets cancer cells
Prognosis and life expectancy
Life expectancy and
prognosis for people with liver metastases are typically poor, as the cancer
tends not to be curable.
However,
treatments may help shrink the tumor, improve life expectancy, and relieve
symptoms.
Overall 5 year
survival rates depend on the cancer's origin. Other factors include sex, age,
and the overall health of the individual.
For example,
according to one
study, the 5 year survival rates for people with liver metastases
originating from the colon are as follows:
fewer than 8 months without treatment
11% chance of survival with treatment
A doctor is
the best person to give a prediction on survival. In all cases, survival rates
are only estimates. A person may live far longer or shorter than expected.
Source: Medical News Today
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