How to choose the 6 major surgical treatments for prolonged survival of liver cancer?
83-year-old Mr. Lin was sent to the emergency department of the hospital due to abdominal pain, and found end-stage liver tumor and vascular invasion. Due to his age and multiple medical diseases, he took targeted drug treatment. After 18 months, the fetal protein tumor index returned to normal, and the tumor was obvious Shrinking, it is obvious that the liver cancer has been well controlled.
Different treatment options are given according to the disease state of liver cancer patients
Guo Lifu, a gastroenterologist at Annan Hospital, explained that according to research statistics, chronic hepatitis B and C have been well controlled and treated with current medical technology, but liver cancer and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma are still the most common cancers in the world. Five, of which hepatocellular carcinoma, commonly known as liver cancer, is the most common. The medical team will provide different treatment options according to the patient’s physical strength, tumor size, location, number of tumors, and the extent of spread. Even if the liver cancer is severe enough to be advanced, there are still multiple treatments that can be considered.
Early liver cancer is mainly treated with radical treatment. The six major operations depend on the condition of the patient.
Guo Lifu explained that the principle of eradication treatment is still used for early liver cancer, and further exemplified six types of surgery:
1. Hepatic lobectomy and liver transplantation: For patients with early liver cancer and good liver function, the survival rate is high and the recurrence rate is low. Hepatic lobectomy is the main treatment option. If liver function is poor, a liver transplant may be considered.
2. Radiofrequency Ablation Therapy (RFA, Radiofrequency Ablation Therapy, commonly known as electrocautery): If it is estimated that the body is not suitable for resection, and the number of tumors is less than 3, and each tumor is less than 5 cm, it is recommended to use radiofrequency ablation therapy. The method converts electric current into heat energy through fine needle puncture, coagulates tumor cell tissue and necrosis, and achieves the purpose of tumor death.
3.5 Treatment: If the tumor is too large to be suitable for the first two operations, hepatic artery embolization can be used. Since liver cancer supplies tumor nutrients through the hepatic artery, embolization of the blood vessels in the hepatic artery can prevent the supply of nutrients and cause the tumor to apoptotic naturally.
4. Targeted drug therapy: It is usually suitable for patients with advanced liver cancer, normal liver function but the tumor has invaded the portal vein, or patients with extrahepatic metastasis. But pay attention to whether there are side effects such as high blood pressure, diarrhea, and hand-foot syndrome (the skin on the hands and feet is easy to peel).
5. Immunotherapy: Attack cancer cells by activating and strengthening the patient’s immune system, thereby improving survival rates, but may cause side effects such as hepatitis, pneumonia and other organ dysfunction. Although the incidence of side effects is low, attention must still be paid to physical changes following treatment.
6. Radiation therapy: including photon knife, computer knife, proton knife, and yttrium-90 radiation therapy, which irradiates the tumor site through high unit energy radiation to achieve the therapeutic effect.
The average survival period is prolonged by more than two years, and the treatment effect is better if it is detected early
Guo Lifu emphasized that early detection of liver cancer is still the best way to treat it. He took patients with advanced liver cancer in the past as an example. Because there were not many treatment options, the average survival time was usually less than half a year; There is no need to fear advanced liver cancer, and the average survival time of patients has gradually increased to more than two years.
