Liver Metastases

Causes:

1. Spread of cancer from primary tumors in other parts of the body, most
commonly from colorectal cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, pancreatic
cancer, and stomach cancer.
2. Cancer cells from primary tumors travel through the bloodstream or
lymphatic system and settle in the liver, forming metastatic tumors.

Signs and Symptoms:

1. Abdominal pain or discomfort, especially in the upper right abdomen.
2. Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes).
3. Unexplained weight loss.
4. Loss of appetite.
5. Fatigue and weakness.
6. Enlarged liver (hepatomegaly) felt on physical examination.
7. Nausea and vomiting.
8. Swelling in the abdomen (ascites).
9. Elevated liver enzymes in blood tests.

Prevention:

1. Prevention of liver metastases primarily involves preventing the spread of
cancer from primary tumors. This includes early detection and treatment of
primary tumors, lifestyle modifications to reduce cancer risk factors, and
adherence to recommended cancer screening guidelines.

Treatment:

1. Medical Treatment:

Chemotherapy: Systemic chemotherapy or targeted therapy drugs
may be used to shrink tumors and slow down cancer progression.

Immunotherapy: Drugs that stimulate the immune system to
recognize and attack cancer cells.

Radioembolization: Minimally invasive procedure where tiny
radioactive beads are injected into the blood vessels supplying the
liver tumors to deliver radiation directly to the cancer cells.

Ablation therapy: Techniques such as radiofrequency ablation or
microwave ablation are used to destroy liver tumors with heat.

Palliative care: Symptom management and supportive care to
improve quality of life for patients with advanced liver metastases.

2. Surgical Treatment:

Liver Resection: Surgical removal of liver metastases may be
considered if the tumors are limited in number and location, and if
the patient's overall health allows for surgery.

Liver Transplantation: In select cases of liver metastases where the
primary tumor has been successfully treated and the liver
metastases are limited, liver transplantation may be an option.