Liver Cancer Treatment in Delhi
Liver cancer, as can be understood from the name, is a type of cancer that begins in the cells of the liver. Liver cancer’s most common form starts in the cells of the liver known as hepatocytes and is referred to as hepatocellular carcinoma. Anyone suffering from liver cancer or starting to see any signs and symptoms of the same should opt for the best liver cancer treatment in Delhi at the earliest without wasting even a moment. Let us now dive a bit deeper into the topic to understand more details about liver cancer.
Liver cancer is caused when your body cells start to grow out of control. A Liver specialist should detect signs of early liver cancer, and the liver cancer treatment in Delhi should be started without any delay so that the tumor does not develop further and the liver cancer is cured in the primary stage itself. The treatment of liver cancer in Delhi depends upon your current set of cancer and the health of your liver. The cancer treatment team shall guide and brief you well about the treatment procedure and its effects. During the treatment of liver cancer in Delhi, you may find complications. Thus, the support of well-experienced doctors and your close ones becomes essential after the surgeries and treatments, specific therapies whose complications are the same as that of medicine. There might also be some side effects of these therapies, which you need to fight physically and emotionally. Therefore, one must also take care as well as proper rest after the treatment. Discussing everything you feel with the cancer care team can make you feel better! Hence, a good liver cancer treatment center, expert surgeons, and emotional support can cure your cancer and make you feel better again !!!
Causes of Liver Cancer
In several cases of liver cancer, the causes happen to be unknown. Primary liver cancer is caused as a result of damage of the liver by birth defects, chronic infection with diseases like hepatitis B & C, alcohol abuse, cirrhosis, and a hereditary disease known as hemochromatosis that is associated with a high amount of iron in the liver. Statistics reveal that more than half of the individuals affected with liver cancer have cirrhosis. Liver Cirrhosis is a condition referred to as scarred liver caused due to alcohol abuse. Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and hemochromatosis can cause permanent damage to the liver, ultimately giving rise to liver failure. In several cases of liver cancer, it is linked with fatty liver disease and obesity.
Here are a few risk factors that increase the chances of causing liver cancer.
- Being overweight or obese
- Drinking too much alcohol over a long period
- Having diabetes
- Having other liver diseases like Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and cirrhosis
- Presence of a family history of liver diseases
- Males are more likely to get liver cancer as compared to women
It is always recommended to get the best liver cancer treatment in Delhi to get relief from the disease in the most appropriate manner.
Symptoms of Liver Cancer
Here are a few of the major signs and symptoms of liver cancer that you need to look out for.
- Pain in the upper abdominal region associated with discomfort and tenderness
- White and chalky stools
- Swelling in the upper abdominal region
- Vomiting
- Yellowing of the skin and white region of the eyes known as jaundice
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea
- Unexplained weight loss
- Unexplained fatigue and tiredness
- Weakness
- Bruising or bleeding very easily
Types of Liver Cancer
Four main types of liver cancer are discussed below.
- Hepatocellular Carcinoma – It is the most common type of liver cancer and is also referred to as hepatoma which accounts for about 75 percent of the total cases of liver cancer. It develops in the cells of the liver known as hepatocytes and can spread from the liver to different body parts like the stomach, intestines, and pancreas. Hepatocellular carcinoma has a higher chance to occur in individuals which have severely damaged their liver due to alcohol abuse.
- Cholangiocarcinoma – It is more commonly referred to as bile duct cancer because it occurs in the bile ducts of the liver. Bile ducts are small tube-like structures that carry bile from the liver to the gallbladder for aiding digestion. Cancer that starts in the parts of the bile ducts inside the liver is known as intrahepatic bile duct cancer and on the other hand, cancer starting in the parts of the bile ducts outside the liver is known as extrahepatic bile duct cancer.
- Liver Angiosarcoma – It is a very rare form of liver cancer that starts in the liver’s blood vessels and can progress very rapidly. Thus, diagnosis becomes quite difficult at an early stage. Usually, it is diagnosed at an advanced stage and hence becomes very difficult to treat.
- Hepatoblastoma – It is the rarest form of liver cancer and is most commonly found in children under three years of age.
Liver Cancer Treatment Options
The most common treatment options for liver cancer are as follows.
- Hepatectomy – It is a surgical procedure performed to remove a portion of the affected liver with cancer or all of the liver. The surgery is only done when the cancer is limited to the liver and has not spread to other parts. After the surgery, healthy tissues will regrow over time and replace the part that is missing as a result of the surgical removal.
- Chemotherapy – It is a form of liver cancer treatment with drugs that destroy the cancer cells. The drugs are injected into the veins. Chemotherapy can prove to be an effective treatment option for liver cancer but comes with an array of side effects like chills, vomiting, and reduced appetite.
- Embolization and Chemoembolization – These are surgical procedures used for treating liver cancer. The surgeries are performed to block off the hepatic artery which reduces the flow of blood into the tumor. Small sponges or other particles are used to create the blockage. Chemotherapy drugs are injected into the hepatic artery in case of chemoembolization before injecting the particles for blocking the hepatic artery. It is to make sure that the injected chemotherapy drugs stay in the liver for a longer time.
- Liver Transplant – The procedure involves the complete replacement of an affected liver with a healthy liver from a donor. A liver transplant is only performed when the cancer is limited to the liver and has not spread to other parts or organs.
- Ablation – The treatment procedure makes use of heat or ethanol injections to destroy the cells of cancer. Ablation happens to be a suitable treatment option for liver cancer when the affected individuals are not suitable candidates for a liver transplant or surgery.
- Radiation Therapy – The therapy uses radiation beams of high energy to destroy the cancer cells. The high-energy radiation can be delivered by either internal radiation or external beam radiation. The radiation is targeted at the abdomen and chest in case of external beam radiation. On the other hand, in the case of internal radiation, a catheter is used to inject very small radioactive spheres into the hepatic artery destroying the hepatic artery that carries blood to the liver. This, in turn, reduces the flow of blood to the tumor.
- Targeted Therapy – The procedure uses medications that target the cancer cells. These medications help reduce the growth of the tumor and cut down the supply of blood to the tumor. Targeted therapy is performed on affected individuals which are not suitable for a liver transplant or hepatectomy.
It is to be kept in mind to go for the best liver cancer treatment in Delhi to get the intended results.
How Can Dr. Piyush Ranjan Help?
Dr. Piyush Ranjan is a renowned gastroenterologist and liver specialist catering to the individualized needs of different patients in the best possible manner. With several years of experience and expertise in this field, the doctor makes accurate diagnoses and chalks out a treatment plan accordingly. Dr. Piyush Ranjan is a very popular name in treating liver cancer and other diseases associated with the liver. The major reason for the preference of Dr. Piyush Ranjan among the patients is due to the high success rate in the treatment. Thus, at any point in time, when you are searching for the best liver cancer treatment in Delhi, Dr. Piyush Ranjan is the one to come to for the best possible results.
