| This is a medical opinion about the likely course and | | | | and treatment. They then try to predict what might |
| the outcome of the disease. The prognosis gives an | | | | happen. |
| idea of the chance that a patient will recover or have | | | | The doctors base the prognosis on information |
| a recurrence. Some of the factors that not only | | | | researchers have collected over many years from |
| affect a person's prognosis for liver cancer but for | | | | people with cancer |
| other cancers as well are the type and location of | | | | The doctors use statistics based on groups of people |
| the cancer and the stage of the disease that is, the | | | | whose situations or conditions are most similar to |
| extent to which the cancer has metastasized. The | | | | that of an individual patient. |
| grade or how abnormal the cancer cells look and how | | | | If the cancer is likely to respond well to the |
| quickly the cancer is likely to grow or spread is | | | | treatment, the doctor's prognosis may be favorable |
| another factor. | | | | but if the cancer is likely to be difficult to control, |
| Other factors that may affect the prognosis are a | | | | then, it may not be that favorable. Note that liver |
| patient's age, the patient's general health and his or | | | | cancer prognosis is just a prediction and therefore a |
| her response to treatment. When it comes to liver | | | | doctor cannot say with certainty what the outcome |
| cancer prognosis, doctors put into consideration all | | | | will be in an individual case. |
| the factors that could affect the patient's disease | | | | |