Liver cancer surgery in Delhi
Overview
Liver cancer is a leading cause of death in India and throughout the world. Like all other cancers, liver cancer can be related to an unusual increase in cell reproduction. Cancer can start within the liver but more commonly they start outside and then spread to the liver.
Diagnostic tests are used to determine the extent of the cancer and the portion of the liver that has been affected. These tests include imaging tests, biopsies, liver function tests, etc.
Depending upon the assessment, your doctor will determine between different treatment options that can help in the removal of cancer cells and may recommend you to get liver surgery. Dr. Asit Arora cures liver cancer with successful liver cancer surgery in Delhi.
What is liver cancer?
Liver cancer is a life-threatening condition that starts in the liver when the hepatocytes or cholangiocytes (liver cells) begin to grow out of control. The treatment and prognosis of these tumours vary based on their different causes.
What are the types of liver cancer?
There are two types of liver cancer:
- Primary liver cancer: Liver cancer is commonly known as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) or cholangiocarcinoma. Primary liver cancer develops in the liver’s cells, blood vessels, bile ducts, or connective tissue.
- Secondary liver cancer – If it originates in another part of the body and spreads to the liver, it is also known as metastatic liver cancer.
Liver cancer specialists perform tests to diagnose the disease and begin treatment. If a person falls under the high-risk category for developing liver cancer, they are advised to undergo regular screening tests to detect cancer at its inception.
Causes and risk factors for liver cancer
Cancer in liver originates when liver cells develop changes in their DNA. A cell’s DNA is the material that offers instructions for every chemical process in your body, and these DNA mutations cause changes in these instructions, and as a result, they start growing uncontrollably and form a tumour. Several causes contribute to liver cancer:
- Cirrhosis
- Hepatitis B and C infection
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- Family history
- Alcohol abuse and smoking
- Prolonged use of anabolic steroids
- Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
- Some inherited liver diseases, like Wilson’s disease
- Herbicides
- Chemicals such as arsenic and vinyl chloride
Secondary liver cancer is most common in those who have cancers of the large intestine (colon), stomach, pancreas, breast, or lung. It is critical to understand where cancer began since this will define the type of cells that are producing the disease and which treatment option is most suitable for you.
What are the symptoms?
When liver cancer is in its early stages, a person might have no symptoms, which typically leads to a delay in diagnosis. When patients develop symptoms, they are often so mild that they are neglected. However, patients may experience some symptoms when the swelling in the liver develops. Some symptoms of liver cancer include:
- Enlarged liver
- Upper abdominal pain
- Loss of appetite
- Unexplained weight loss
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Swelling or fluid buildup in the abdominal area
- Jaundice
- Nausea
- Chalky stools
- Weakness and fatigue
- Vomiting
- Lump in the abdomen
You should make an appointment with the best liver cancer surgeon in Delhi, NCR, if you experience any of the above-listed signs and symptoms that worry you.
Different stages of liver cancer
After a person’s liver cancer is diagnosed, doctors will try to figure out to what extent it has spread. This process is called staging. The stages of liver cancer describe how much cancer is in the body and help determine how severe the condition is and what the best treatment is for it.
Liver cancer stages range from stage 1 to stage 4, and the lower the number, the less cancer has spread.
- Stage 1: The first stage of liver cancer is when a tumour develops within the liver and its effects are localised and have not spread.
- Stage 2: In the second stage of liver cancer, the tumour grows in dimension, reaching a size of 5 cm across, and there is a chance of developing small tumours. However, the spread is still localised.
- Stage 3: This stage is divided into A, B, and C and is classified by the outgrowth of the tumour.
- Stage 4: It is the last stage of liver cancer, and the size and number of tumours in the liver grow dramatically. The stage also marks the spread of the tumour into lymph nodes, blood vessels, and many surrounding organs. The fourth stage is also divided into A and B.
Liver cancer treatment
Treatment options for liver cancer depend on the stage of the disease, liver function, and the patient’s overall health. Patients should communicate with their doctor to determine the most appropriate treatment options for their particular needs.
If your cancer is in its early stages and the remaining part of your liver is healthy, a surgical procedure (partial hepatectomy) may heal you. If your cancer is in its early stages but the remaining part of your liver is not functioning properly, you may need to be treated with a liver transplant.
In cases where the liver tumour is in a difficult-to-remove area (for example, very close to a main blood vessel), a transplant may potentially be a solution. Inoperable cancers are those that have not yet progressed to distant areas of the body or lymph nodes but cannot be safely removed with a partial hepatectomy. Treatment options include embolisation, ablation, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or radiation therapy. For these cancers, treatment may reduce the size of the tumour(s) enough to enable surgery.
The advanced stage of liver cancer has progressed to the lymph nodes and/or other organs. Since these tumours are so widespread, surgery cannot be used to remove them.
Liver cancer surgery
There are two main types of liver cancer surgery:
- Partial hepatectomy: This includes removing only a portion of the liver along with the tumour and some healthy tissue surrounding the tumour. MRI, CT, and other imaging tests are initially conducted to determine whether or not the tumour can be entirely removed.
- Liver transplant: During this surgery, the liver is totally removed and replaced with a new, healthy one. This helps in the restoration of liver function and minimises the probability of cancer recurrence. Patients with liver cirrhosis and tumours, as well as large liver tumours, are candidates for liver transplantation. Transplants can be received from a close family member (a portion of the liver is taken) or from deceased donors for surgery.
Other treatment options
The following approaches are commonly used in the treatment of liver cancer in Delhi:
- Surgery for small lesions
- Ablation, which includes the destruction of tumours without their removal.
- Embolization, which involves cutting off blood flow to the tumour cells in the liver.
- Targeted therapy, which involves the introduction of medicines into the bloodstream.
- Immunotherapy, which includes delivering medication intravenously to help the body identify and destroy cancer cells.
If your liver cancer is advanced, treatment may take some time. However, doctors will treat and limit cancer and its symptoms, helping you to live longer with fewer complications.
Liver cancer treatment cost and survival rates
Liver cancer treatment cost depends on many factors, for example, consultation costs, medication cost, hospital choice, hospitalisation period, diagnosis procedure, room and stay charges, fees of the medical team, the experience of the doctor, additional medical tests (if required), and post-surgery follow-up care costs.
Survival rates are commonly used to determine how many patients with a specific stage of liver cancer are alive five years after treatments. Liver cancer survival rates are good if it is diagnosed and treated at an early stage.
Thus, it is vital to contact your doctor as soon as you observe any of the symptoms of liver cancer, or else you are at increased risk of developing cancer. An early liver cancer diagnosis helps you get treatment early and stops the cancer from spreading.
Followup care
The physician providing liver cancer treatment in Delhi will perform routine medical check-ups to determine whether the disease has resurfaced. The concerned doctor may perform a series of medical tests, physical examinations, or combined approaches as follow-up care.
The physician will also look for any side effects of the procedure. Let your doctor know about any changes you see in your body after treatment so that an appropriate follow-up care plan may be created.
Why choose India for liver cancer surgery?
Liver cancer treatment cost in India is quite affordable, and many Indian hospitals have adopted advanced methodologies for radiation therapy. Surgical departments are well equipped to provide minimally invasive procedures, which reduce recovery time and pain and have many other benefits for patients.
Why choose Dr. Asit Arora for liver cancer surgery?
Dr. Asit Arora is one of the best doctors for liver cancer surgery in Delhi and is currently working as a Director and head of the Division of GI & HPB Oncology at Max Super Speciality Hospital Saket, Gurugram, and Max Smart. He is among the top doctors in India, and his area of expertise includes HPB cancer surgery, Advanced laparoscopic surgery, and Gastrointestinal Oncosurgery. In the 2022 ET Healthcare Awards, he was awarded Oncosurgeon of the Year for his attempts to provide the best treatment to patients in this field of cancer care.
What is liver cancer?
Liver cancer is a life-threatening condition that starts in the liver when the hepatocytes or cholangiocytes (liver cells) begin to grow out of control. The treatment and prognosis of these tumours vary based on their different causes.
What are the types of liver cancer?
There are two types of liver cancer:
- Primary liver cancer: Liver cancer is commonly known as hepatocellular cancer. Primary liver cancer develops in the liver’s cells, blood vessels, bile ducts, or connective tissue.
- Secondary liver cancer – If it originates in another part of the body and spreads to the liver, it is also known as metastatic liver cancer.
Liver cancer specialists perform tests to diagnose the disease and begin treatment. If a person falls under the high-risk category for developing liver cancer, they are advised to undergo regular screening tests to detect cancer at its inception.
Causes and risk factors for liver cancer
A person feels liver cancer pain when liver cells develop changes in their DNA. A cell’s DNA is the material that offers instructions for every chemical process in your body, and these DNA mutations cause changes in these instructions, and as a result, they start growing uncontrollably and form a tumour. Several causes contribute to liver cancer:
- Cirrhosis
- Hepatitis B infection
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- Family history
- Alcohol abuse and smoking
- Prolonged use of anabolic steroids
- Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
- Some inherited liver diseases, like Wilson’s disease
- Herbicides
- Chemicals such as arsenic and vinyl chloride
Secondary liver cancer is most common in those who have cancers of the large intestine (colon), stomach, pancreas, breast, or lung. It is critical to understand where cancer began since this will define the type of cells that are producing the disease and which treatment option is most suitable for you.
What are the symptoms?
When liver cancer is in its early stages, a person might have no symptoms, which typically leads to a delay in diagnosis. When patients develop symptoms, they are often so mild that they are neglected. However, patients may experience some symptoms when the swelling in the liver develops. Some symptoms of liver cancer include:
- Enlarged liver
- Upper abdominal pain
- Loss of appetite
- Unexplained weight loss
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Swelling or fluid buildup in the abdominal area
- Jaundice
- Nausea
- Chalky stools
- Weakness and fatigue
- Vomiting
- Lump in the abdomen
You should make an appointment with the best liver cancer surgeon in Delhi, NCR, if you experience any of the above-listed signs and symptoms that worry you.
Different stages of liver cancer
After a person’s liver cancer is diagnosed, doctors will try to figure out to what extent it has spread. This process is called staging. The stages of liver cancer describe how much cancer is in the body and help determine how severe the condition is and what the best treatment is for it.
Liver cancer stages range from stage 1 to stage 4, and the lower the number, the less cancer has spread.
- Stage 1: The first stage of liver cancer is when a tumour develops within the liver and its effects are localised and have not spread.
- Stage 2: In the second stage of liver cancer, the tumour grows in dimension, reaching a size of 5 cm across, and there is a chance of developing small tumours. However, the spread is still localised.
- Stage 3: This stage is divided into A, B, and C and is classified by the outgrowth of the tumour.
- Stage 4: It is the last stage of liver cancer, and the size and number of tumours in the liver grow dramatically. The stage also marks the spread of the tumour into lymph nodes, blood vessels, and many surrounding organs. The fourth stage is also divided into A and B.
Liver cancer treatment
Treatment options for liver cancer depend on the stage of the disease, liver function, and the patient’s overall health. Patients should communicate with their doctor to determine the most appropriate treatment options for their particular needs.
If your cancer is in its early stages and the remaining part of your liver is healthy, a surgical procedure (partial hepatectomy) may heal you. If your cancer is in its early stages but the remaining part of your liver is not functioning properly, you may need to be treated with a liver transplant.
In cases where the liver tumour is in a difficult-to-remove area (for example, very close to a main blood vessel), a transplant may potentially be a solution. Inoperable cancers are those that have not yet progressed to distant areas of the body or lymph nodes but cannot be safely removed with a partial hepatectomy. Treatment options include embolisation, ablation, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or radiation therapy. For these cancers, treatment may reduce the size of the tumour(s) enough to enable surgery.
The advanced stage of liver cancer has progressed to the lymph nodes and/or other organs. Since these tumours are so widespread, surgery cannot be used to remove them.
Liver cancer surgery
There are two main types of liver cancer surgery:
- Partial hepatectomy: This includes removing only a portion of the liver along with the tumour and some healthy tissue surrounding the tumour. MRI, CT, and other imaging tests are initially conducted to determine whether or not the tumour can be entirely removed.
- Liver transplant: During this surgery, the liver is totally removed and replaced with a new, healthy one. This helps in the restoration of liver function and minimises the probability of cancer recurrence. Patients with liver cirrhosis and tumours, as well as large liver tumours, are candidates for liver transplantation. Transplants can be received from a close family member (a portion of the liver is taken) or from deceased donors for surgery.
Other treatment options
The following approaches are commonly used in the treatment of liver cancer in Delhi:
- Surgery for small lesions
- Ablation, which includes the destruction of tumours without their removal.
- Embolization, which involves cutting off blood flow to the tumour cells in the liver.
- Targeted therapy, which involves the introduction of medicines into the bloodstream.
- Immunotherapy, which includes delivering medication intravenously to help the body identify and destroy cancer cells.
If your liver cancer is advanced, treatment may take some time. However, doctors will treat and limit cancer and its symptoms, helping you to live longer with fewer complications.
Liver cancer treatment cost and survival rates
Liver cancer treatment cost depends on many factors, for example, consultation costs, medication cost, hospital choice, hospitalisation period, diagnosis procedure, room and stay charges, fees of the medical team, the experience of the doctor, additional medical tests (if required), and post-surgery follow-up care costs.
Survival rates are commonly used to determine how many patients with a specific stage of liver cancer are alive five years after treatments. Liver cancer survival rates are good if it is diagnosed and treated at an early stage.
Thus, it is vital to contact your doctor as soon as you observe any of the symptoms of liver cancer, or else you are at increased risk of developing cancer. An early liver cancer diagnosis helps you get treatment early and stops the cancer from spreading.
Followup care
The physician providing liver cancer treatment in Delhi will perform routine medical check-ups to determine whether the disease has resurfaced. The concerned doctor may perform a series of medical tests, physical examinations, or combined approaches as follow-up care.
The physician will also look for any side effects of the procedure. Let your doctor know about any changes you see in your body after treatment so that an appropriate follow-up care plan may be created.
Why choose India for liver cancer surgery?
Liver cancer treatment cost in India is quite affordable, and many Indian hospitals have adopted advanced methodologies for radiation therapy. Surgical departments are well equipped to provide minimally invasive procedures, which reduce recovery time and pain and have many other benefits for patients.
Why choose Dr. Asit Arora for liver cancer surgery?
Dr. Asit Arora is one of the best doctors for liver cancer surgery in Delhi and is currently working as a Director and head of the Division of GI & HPB Oncology at Max Super Speciality Hospital Saket, Gurugram, and Max Smart. He is among the top doctors in India, and his area of expertise includes HPB cancer surgery, Advanced laparoscopic surgery, and Gastrointestinal Oncosurgery. In the 2022 ET Healthcare Awards, he was awarded Oncosurgeon of the Year for his attempts to provide the best treatment to patients in this field of cancer care.