| Liver Cancer | | | | diabetes or other pre-existing kidney disease due to |
| Primary liver cancers | | | | the angiography. |
| | | | * Nausea, hair loss, decreases in white blood cells and |
| Primary liver cancer is one of the less common | | | | platelets, and anemia may occur due to the |
| cancers in Victoria with about 260 people diagnosed | | | | chemotherapy drug. |
| each year. It is more common in men and people | | | | * After 1 in 20 procedures, serious complications |
| aged over 65 years. Most primary liver cancers start | | | | occur and typically include liver infection or damage to |
| in liver cells (hepatocellular carcinoma); others start in | | | | the liver. Liver failure is usually the cause of the 1 in |
| a bile duct (cholangiocarcinoma)... | | | | 100 deaths related to this procedure. |
| Benefits vs. Risks | | | | What are the treatment options for liver cancer? |
| Benefits: | | | | The treatment options are dictated by the stage of |
| * Chemoembolization can stop liver tumors from | | | | liver cancer and the overall condition of the patient. |
| growing or cause them to shrink in 2/3 of cases | | | | The only proven cure for liver cancer is liver |
| treated. This benefit, on average, lasts 10-14 months. | | | | transplantation for a solitary, small (<3cm) tumor. |
| * Chemoembolization can be used in conjunction with | | | | Now, many physicians may dispute this statement. |
| other cancer treatments including tumor ablation, | | | | They may argue that a small tumor can be surgically |
| radiation and chemotherapy. | | | | removed (partial hepatic resection) without the need |
| * Most patients don't die from the spread of cancer | | | | for a liver transplantation. Moreover, they may claim |
| if it is confined to the liver, but rather from liver | | | | that the one and three year survival rates for |
| failure caused by the tumors growth. | | | | resection are perhaps comparable to those for liver |
| Chemoembolization can help prevent the growth of a | | | | transplantation. |
| tumor, preserving liver function and a relatively | | | | |
| normal quality of life. | | | | Please log on to : Liver Cancer |
| * Two randomized controlled trials published in 2002 | | | | Please log on to : Diseases Of The Liver |
| showed improved survival in patients with hepatoma | | | | We Care Core Values |
| (primary liver cancer) after chemoembolization | | | | "We have a very simple business model that keeps |
| compared to supportive care alone. | | | | you as the centre." |
| Risks: | | | | Having the industry's most elaborate and exclusive |
| * Embolus (tiny particles) can lodge in the wrong | | | | Patient Care and Clinical Coordination teams stationed |
| place and deprive normal tissue of its blood supply. | | | | at each partner hospital, we provide you the |
| * Even if antibiotics are given, there is always a risk | | | | smoothest and seamless care ever imagined. With a |
| of infection after embolization. | | | | ratio of one Patient Care Manager to five patients |
| * There is a risk of an allergic reaction to the dye | | | | our patient care standards are unmatched across the |
| used in the angiography x-ray. | | | | sub continent. |
| * There is a risk of kidney damage in patients with | | | | |