General Information / Anatomy / Function / Statistics
- The liver is one of the most common sites for metastatic cancer
- 50% of all cancers may eventually spread to liver
- Cancers of the stomach, pancreas, esophagus, lung, colon, breast and melanoma almost always spread to the liver if not arrested in their earlier stages
Symptoms / Signs
Etiology / Carcinogens / Risks
- Caused by the spread of the primary cancer (often cancer in the bowel, a breast or a lung) through blood or lymphatic system
Diagnosis / Staging / Grading / Types
- The type is the same as that of the primary cancer
Treatment
- Depends on the type of primary cancer and degree of spread
- Some cancers, particularly those of the colon and rectum as well as Carcinoid or other endocrine tumours, often spread to the liver. In some instances surgery may be possible-- especially with a single mass or localized in one part. Up to 25% may be cured with this surgical removal.
- Chemotherapy may treat liver metastases from colon cancer
- Radiofrequency Ablation Heat Treatment
Revised May 1999