Diagnosis and Treatment of Liver Cancer

To make liver cancer diagnosis doctors should take a thorough medical history which is followed by a physical examination. A proper liver cancer diagnosis is essential for accurate liver cancer treatment. Doctor may recommend some diagnostic liver cancer tests.

• Blood tests are recommended to check enzyme level of liver.
• An abdominal ultrasound to check size of the liver and also to check any abnormalities or tumors
• Computed tomography or CT scan of the abdomen
• Laparoscopy
• Biopsy
• Angiography
• Chest X-rays
• Serum alpha fetoprotein

Periodic blood tests and ultrasounds are recommended for liver cancer high risk patients to find any developing stages of tumor. Once liver cancer has been diagnosed; the doctor will then identify the stages of cancer for proper liver cancer treatment. The stages of liver cancer are made by TNM method. A liver transplant and surgery may successfully treat slow-growing or small tumors if early liver cancer diagnosis is made.

Radiation and chemotherapy are also suggested for liver cancer treatment but they are not much effective.However; these liver cancer treatment methods are used to shrink enlarged tumors. Some oral medicines have been approved for treatment of liver cancer.