Liver Cancer Treatments

While Liver Cancer is a serious health issue, working with a world-leading Clinical Oncologist like Dr Andrew Gaya can provide access to all the vital tools needed to fight it. He specialises in the treatment of gastrointestinal cancer and has access to the most advanced oncology treatments in Liver Cancer.

There are so many treatments available for liver cancer that it can be mind boggling for patients. In many situations, there can be more than one treatment pathway. Dr Gaya gives his liver cancer patients a highly comprehensive and completely personalised oncological care plan.

Excellence in liver cancer treatment means evaluating individual circumstances, co-existing medical conditions, the type of liver cancer a person has and the staging/grading of the tumour. Dr Andy Gaya’s liver cancer patients can feel confident that treatments are advancing every day and he can guide them in improving their overall health to improve how they respond to treatment.

Deciding the right treatment

Deciding the right treatment for liver cancer is a complex discussion between multiple specialists including liver surgeons, interventional radiologists, medical oncologists and clinical oncologists. Treatment is usually given in combination, some common liver cancer treatments are:

Liver Surgery

The surgeon removes the cancerous parts of the liver. This is possible because the liver has an amazing ability to regenerate itself. This is best suited for early-stage cancers with sufficient liver function

Liver transplant

A transplant surgeon replaces the diseased liver with a healthy donor liver. This is usually best for early-stage patients with severe underlying liver damage (when the liver tissue is not working properly, often caused by another disease not the cancer).

There is a long wait for liver transplants in the UK so often other treatments are needed to keep the cancer controlled whilst the patient awaits their transplant (these are called “bridging therapies”. Also, many people om the transplant list have to come off it due to progressing medical conditions or other reasons.

Thermal ablation procedure (Radiofrequency ablation or Microwave ablation)

An Interventional radiologist uses high-energy radio waves to heat and destroy cancer cells. Ideal for small tumours less than 3 cm in size, but it cannot be performed when tumour(s) are next to blood vessels or the biliary/drainage system

TACE (Transarterial chemo-embolisation)

An Interventional radiologist delivers chemotherapy directly to the liver tumour via the hepatic artery. The blood supply to the tumour is blocked to enhance the treatment effect. Used for intermediate-stage liver cancer.

SIRT (Radioembolisation)

An Interventional radiologist injects tiny radioactive beads into the liver’s blood vessels to deliver targeted radiation. The beads block the blood vessels and restrict blood supply to the tumour. Once in position they release radiation

Radiotherapy

is a commonly used cancer treatment. Stereotactic Radiotherapy (SABR / SBRT) is a precise form of radiotherapy that attacks the cancerous parts of the liver, whilst sparing the healthy tissue. It is best for patients who are unsuitable for surgery and can be used to slow tumour progression, for example while a patient awaits a liver transplant. It can be used successfully for large tumours up to 7-8cm

Chemotherapy

is not commonly used in liver cancer, but may be considered in certain cases for example when cancer has progressed despite other treatments, where cancer has spread beyond the liver and where a patient has good health and liver function overall

Advanced therapies

When it comes to cancer treatment it is not a ‘one size fits all’. Just as every person has a fingerprint unique to them, every patient’s cancer has its own genetic fingerprint. The first step in optimising cancer treatment is to understand it.

Dr Gaya will organise a tumour analysis to uncover the unique genetic profile of the patient’s cancer. From here Dr Gaya can recommend – from the entire spectrum of conventional cancer treatments, newer advanced treatments, other medications, supplements and lifestyle modifications – to positively impact the patient’s quality of life and overall survival.

Immunotherapy and targeted therapies are examples of advanced treatments which can be used to fight Liver Cancer. They are suitable for patients where cancer has spread to blood vessels, lymph nodes, or other organs and where the person is still relatively healthy, active and can care for themselves.

Immunotherapy – Harnesses the body’s immune system to recognise and attack cancer cells. Checkpoint inhibitors like atezolizumab, durvalumab and pembrolizumab have shown promise in treating advanced Liver Cancer. Immunotherapy can be combined with other drugs (like atezolizumab and bevacizumab or durvalumab with tremelimumab) to increase effectiveness
Targeted therapies – Drugs designed to target specific pathways or mutations in cancer cells. Examples include sorafenib and lenvatinib, which inhibit tumour growth and blood supply formation. These are oral medications that are very convenient to administer and can be used alone or in combination with other treatments.

Dr Andy Gaya has his finger on the pulse of the newest cancer drugs and can also provide information about Clinical Trials and how to access the newest drugs that are being researched.

A holistic approach

Knowing the genetic profile of a tumour and having a personalised treatment plan can be hugely empowering. Dr Gaya will compliment this with guidance on other therapies which research has shown could help overall quality of life and survival. Dr Gaya can advise on everything from probiotics to vitamins to supplements to wholefoods from his wealth of knowledge in the field.

A patient’s overall health is a strong indicator of how well they will respond to cancer treatment, so it is important to implement a healthy diet, lifestyle changes and activity or exercise regime.

Improving outcomes

When it comes to a cancer diagnosis, it’s important to have a big team of people around. From having family and friends rallying around the patient at home to having an excellent Clinical Oncologist driving cancer treatment in the hospital.

When a person with Liver Cancer is treated by Dr Gaya, their case will be discussed at a multidisciplinary team (MDT) meeting, which is made up of a panel of medical specialists. This includes other cancer doctors like surgeons, transplant doctors, interventional radiologists and oncology nurses, as well as tapping into the unique knowledge of broader experts like physios, occupational therapists, psychiatrists, mental health specialists, dieticians, nutritionists and complementary therapists, as needed.

Having a range of experts input into cancer patient’s care is an optimal approach to treatment. Experts are based at Dr Gaya’s hospitals in London or, if more convenient, his team can recommend healthcare services local to the patient.

Cancer and Lifestyle Changes

Patient Information