20 February 2023

Liver Transplant: Is it a good treatment alternative for Liver Cancer?

Topics Covered

1. Liver Transplant for Liver Cancer
2. How is the early stage of Liver Cancer determined?
3. Liver Transplant for Liver Cancer: the Challenges

Patients diagnosed with Liver Cancer and their relatives often wonder whether Liver Transplant can help treat this condition. This notion primarily arises from the idea that if a cancerous organ is removed from the body and replaced with a healthy one, it can cure Cancer.

But is it really effective? Can a Liver transplant act as a cure for Liver Cancer?

Let’s find out how effective Liver Transplant can be in treating Liver Cancer and its viability.

A liver Transplant can be an effective treatment option for Liver Cancer. But it’s vital to note that this might not be true for all cancer patients.

The success and viability of a Liver Transplant as a treatment option depends on multiple factors, and the stage of Cancer is one of them.

With the advanced research in the field, doctors now know that just replacing a cancerous liver is not a solution to this problem. It’s been observed that the treatment for tumors delivers good results when the condition is diagnosed early.

The same goes for Liver Cancer. So Liver Transplant can be a viable treatment option only if the Liver Cancer is diagnosed early.

The early stage of Liver Cancer is determined based on the Milan Criteria. According to these criteria, Liver Cancer is at an early stage if:

• The patient has a Single Tumor with a size equal to or less than 5 cm
• The patient has 2-3 tumors with a size of less than 3 cm
• Cancer is not spread beyond the Liver
• No blood vessel in the liver has been affected with the Cancer

When these conditions are satisfied, the Cancer is considered to be in the early stage. Apart from this, your doctor might also perform certain blood tests, including an alpha-fetoprotein test, along with certain biochemical markers to assess feasibility of a transplant

All these tests can be very helpful in determining whether the Liver Transplant will help cure the condition.

Liver Transplant for Liver Cancer: the Challenges

In certain cases, doctors recommend Liver Transplant as a viable treatment option. But the question here is, will it be possible to perform Liver Transplant?

There are many factors that need to be considered before the Liver Transplant is performed. Let’s take a look at them:

• Availability of  a healthy Liver:
  A healthy liver is required for a successful Liver Transplant. This procedure is strictly regulated in India. Each patient is given a priority score based on the health of the Liver.So the waiting period can be quite long, and in some cases, this delay negates the possibility of treatment as the Cancer spreads rapidly.Sometimes,  we offer Bridge Therapy that includes TACE, TARE, and RFA to stop or slow down the cancer progression  growth, but it does not guarantee a transplant.

• Cost implication:
  There is no denying that Liver Transplant is an expensive treatment option. So it’s important to analyze a patient’s financial ability before the procedure is performed.
• Availability of Transplant Facility:
  Liver Transplant is an advanced surgery. So it requires an ultra-modern infrastructure and advanced equipment. This facility is not easily available across the country. So this factor, too, demands consideration.

  In a nutshell, multiple factors need to be considered before opting for Liver Transplant as a treatment option.Some other traditional treatments like Surgical Resection or other non-surgical options also need to be weighed to find the most viable alternative.

A Ray of Hope

We understand it’s challenging to cope with the fact that you are dealing with  Liver Cancer. But with proper diagnosis, care, and treatment, there is always a ray of hope.

If you or any of your loved ones are dealing with Liver Cancer, you can always contact us for support.

We will be more than happy to assist.