Please be informed HealthConnexion has moved to #11-08

Liver Cancer

Associated Treatments

CT Scan Interventional Radiology Phlebotomy Chemotherapy Ultrasound Biopsy

What is Liver Cancer?

Liver cancer is the cancer of the liver. The liver is located on the right side of the abdomen and it's function is to filter and detoxify the blood that circulates the body from toxins, and produces bile essential for digestion. Liver cancer occurs when cancer cells develop in the tissues of the liver.

Several types of cancer may start in the liver. The most common types of liver cancer is hepatocellular carcinoma which begins in the liver cells. Other less common types of liver cancer include intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and hepatoblastoma.

What are the symptoms of Liver Cancer?

Most people don't show signs and symptoms in the early stages of liver cancer. When signs and symptoms do appear, you may notice:

Abdominal pain
Fatigue
Jaundice
Loss of appetite
Unexplained weightloss
Nausea and vomiting
White, chalky stool

What are the risk factors of Liver Cancer?

Factors that increases your risk of liver cancer include:

Liver cirrhosis: This condition causes scar tissues to form in your liver and increases your chance of developing liver cancer.
Genetics: Liver diseases like Wilson's disease and hemochromatosis may increase your risk of liver cancer.
Diabetes: People with blood sugar disorder have a greater risk of liver cancer.
Excessive alcohol consumption: Consuming excessive levels of alcohol over time can lead to irreversible liver damage and increase your risk of liver cancer.

How is Liver Cancer diagnosed?

Biopsy
A biopsy is done on any suspicious tumors or growths in the mouth, jaw and throat, and on the tongue for signs of cancer.

Blood Test
A complete blood count blood test will be done to check for white blood cell increase which could be a sign of cancer.

Imaging Tests
Imaging tests are done with ultrasound or CT scan to check the liver for abnormalities, tumors or growths.

Listen as Dr. Mark Fernandes discusses the purpose and benefits of liver screening:

Medical Tests We Provide

Interventional Radiology

Interventional Radiology is a subspecialty of Radiology in which both vascular and nonvascular diseases are diagnosed and treated

Find out more

Phlebotomy

Phlebotomy is the practice of drawing blood from the veins to obtain a sample for analysis. Blood is analysed for complete blood count (CBC) to indicate overall health, as well as for a variety of conditions ranging from cancer to thyroid problems. It an important tool for diagnosing many medical conditions.

Find out more

Ultrasound

Ultrasound is an imaging method commonly used to diagnose a variety of conditions and diseases. It uses sound waves that produce echoes and waves will then produce an image that will be used to diagnose conditions or diseases. Ultrasound is also known as sonography and is also used for treating chronic pain, shrinking tumours and promoting tissue healing.

Find out more

CT Scan

A computed tomography or CT scan is a non-invasive and painless test that is conducted to obtain a precise image inside of a body. Using a technology that gives a more detailed image than a standard x-ray can, images produced by a CT scan includes the bones, organs and muscle that help in making accurate diagnoses. CT scans are normally requested as a more detailed procedure after a standard x-ray is performed.

Find out more

Biopsy

A biopsy is a diagnostic procedure that involves obtaining a sample of tissue or cells for analysis to diagnose a medical condition. It is definitive way to diagnosis most cancers and is often a follow up procedure after imaging tests detect suspicious lumps and tumours. There are several types of biopsies performed to test if abnormalities in your body are caused by cancer or by other conditions.

Find out more

Treatments We Offer

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is a common treatment procedure for cancer that uses drug therapy to destroy cancerous cells that grow from organs or blood in the body. The drugs inhibit the further growth and spread of cancerous cells and different combinations of medications can be used to destroy cancerous cells. Chemotherapy can destroy cancer cells completely, and is often used in combination with other therapies, such as radiation, surgery or hormone therapy.

Find out more