The short answer
Liver cancer treatment depends on the tumor and how well the liver works. Options include surgery to remove the tumor, a liver transplant, local treatments that destroy tumors, and targeted therapy or immunotherapy.
Treatment depends on the tumor and how well the rest of the liver works.
Surgery can remove the tumor when the liver is healthy enough.
A liver transplant is an option for some people.
Local treatments can destroy tumors with heat, cold, or by cutting blood supply.
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The full explanation.
The simple version
Liver cancer treatment depends both on the tumor and on how well the rest of the liver works, since many people with liver cancer also have liver disease. Options range from surgery and transplant to local treatments and drug therapies.
Surgery and transplant
When the liver is healthy enough, surgery can remove the part with the tumor. For some people with small tumors and liver damage, a liver transplant — replacing the diseased liver — may be an option.
How well the rest of the liver works shapes which treatments are possible.
Local and drug treatments
Local treatments can destroy tumors directly, using heat or cold (ablation) or by blocking the tumor's blood supply. For more advanced liver cancer, targeted therapy and immunotherapy are important drug treatments.
A plan built for you
Your team chooses treatment based on the tumor, your liver function, and your overall health. Ask about the goals of each option, side effects, and whether a clinical trial is available.
Words to know
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Common questions
▸What are the main treatments?
Options include surgery to remove the tumor, a liver transplant, local treatments that destroy the tumor (such as ablation or cutting off its blood supply), and drug treatments like targeted therapy and immunotherapy.
▸Why does liver function matter?
Many people with liver cancer also have liver disease, so how well the rest of the liver works affects which treatments are safe and likely to help.
▸When is a transplant an option?
A liver transplant, which replaces the diseased liver, can be an option for some people with small tumors and enough liver damage to qualify. Availability depends on many factors.
▸What are local treatments?
Local treatments destroy tumors directly — for example, using heat or cold (ablation) or blocking the tumor's blood supply — without removing part of the liver.
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