Treatment:

Treatment depends on:

• The primary cancer site
• How much of the cancer has spread to the liver (for example, only one tumor versus many tumors in the liver)
• Whether it has spread to other organs outside of the liver
• The patient's condition

When the cancer has spread to the liver and other organs, whole-body (systemic) chemotherapy is usually used.

When the spread is limited to the liver, systemic chemotherapy may still be used. However, other treatment methods may be effective. When the tumor is only in a few areas of the liver, the cancer may be removed with surgery.

The use of radiofrequency waves or injection of toxic substances may also be used to kill tumors. When larger areas of the liver are involved, treatment may involve chemotherapy directly into the liver, or a procedure to block blood flow to parts of the liver (embolization) to "starve" the tumor cells.

Expectations (prognosis):

How well patients do depends on the location of the original cancer and how much it has spread to the liver. In a small number of cases, surgery to remove the liver tumors may lead to a cure. This is usually only possible in patients with certain tumor types (for example, colorectal cancer), and when there are a limited number of tumors in the liver.

In most cases, cancer that has spread to the liver is not curable. Patients with metastatic cancer to the liver usually die of their disease eventually. However, the treatments discussed above may help shrink tumors, improve life expectancy, and relieve symptoms.

Complications:

Complications are generally the result of tumors spreading to a large area of the liver.

They can include:

• Blockage of the flow of bile
• Decreased appetite
• Fever
• Liver failure (usually only in the late stages of disease)
• Pain
• Weight loss

Calling your health care provider:

Call your health care provider if you have cancer and suspect that it has spread to the liver. Anyone who has had a type of cancer that can spread to the liver should be aware of the signs and symptoms listed above, and call a physician if any of these develop.