Liver Cancer

By: Elijah Tubbs and Philip Plummer

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 Introduction

● Liver cancer affects the liver.

● It is usually secondary liver cancer where the cancer spreads to the liver from somewhere
else.
● The majority of cases are diagnosed in people over the age of 50.
● There are about 42,000 cases in the US per year (Statistics).
● There are multiple types of liver cancer
○ The most common is hepatocellular carcinoma where it starts in the cells that make up the liver
○ Hemangiosarcoma and Angiosarcoma are two rarer types that start in the blood and often grow
very quickly (If You Have).

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 History of the Cancer

1870-First hepatic surgery is performed

1911-The first anatomical resection for liver cancer is performed during a right
lobectomy
1950-The American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases is founded as an
organization of scientists and healthcare professionals committed to preventing and
curing liver disease
1956-Fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma (a rare form of hepatocellular carcinoma
that typically affects young adults) is first described
1957-The first comprehensive description of the liver, including the identification of its
eight functional sections, is published.
1963-First liver transplant is performed in a patient with liver cancer.
1964-Researchers introduce the first effective strategy to assess how well the liver is
working, an important factor in treatment decisions for liver cancer. (wiki-liver cancer
JP
history)
 Etiology

● There are many things that increase the risk of Liver Cancer
○ A chronic infection of HBV or HCV
○ Cirrhosis
○ Hemochromatosis and Wilson's disease
○ Diabetes
○ Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
○ Exposure to Aflatoxins
○ Excessive alcohol consumption
○ (Liver Cancer)

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 Symptoms

● Losing weight without trying

● Loss of appetite
● Upper abdominal pain
● Nausea and vomiting
● General weakness and fatigue
● Abdominal swelling
● Yellow discoloration of your skin and the whites of your eyes
(jaundice)
● White, chalky stools

(Liver Cancer-Mayo Clinic)

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 Treatments

● Surgery for early stage cancer

● Liver transplant for early stage cancer with an unhealthy liver
● When the tumor gets too big to be removed by Surgery they use:
○ Ablation
○ Embolization
○ Targeted Therapy
○ Immunotherapy
○ Chemotherapy
○ Radiation Therapy
○ (Treatment)

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 Prognosis
● Medications
Chemotherapy
● Medical procedure
Cryoablation, Percutaneous ethanol injection, Embolization,
Transarterial chemoembolization, SIR-Spheres, and
Radiofrequency ablation
● Surgery
Liver transplantation and Hepatectomy
● Specialists
Palliative medicine, Hepatologist, Transplant surgeon, Interventional
radiologist, Primary care provider (PCP), Surgeon, and Oncologist

For the 43% of people who are diagnosed at an early stage, the 5-year survival
rate is 31%. If liver cancer has spread to surrounding tissues or organs and/or
the regional lymph nodes, the 5-year survival rate is 11%. If the cancer has
spread to a distant part of the body, the 5-year survival rate is 3%.
JP (Liver Cancer: Statistics-Cancer .net)
 Prevention

● You can lower the risk of Liver cancer by:

○ Doing Exercise
○ Controlling your weight
○ Eating a Healthy Diet
○ Limited amounts of alcohol
● Also avoid infection with HBV and HCV by avoiding:
○ Unprotected sex
○ Sharing unsterilized needles
○ A blood transfusion with unscreened blood
● (Liver Cancer Prevention)

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 Free Choice

History Continued
1965-Radioactive isotope Yttrium-90 (Y90) is first used for the treatment of inoperable
liver cancer, for which previously there are no treatment option
1966-The European Association for the Study of Liver Diseases is founded
1968-The Latin American Association for the Study of the Liver (ALEH) is founded
1973-Child-Pugh score system develops as a method used to assess the prognosis of
chronic liver disease. The system, which remains in use today, considers the results of
three specific blood tests, the presence of fluid in the abdomen and cognitive function
1975-Research shows that advanced liver cancers respond to single-drug treatment
with doxorubicin (Adriamycin)
1981-United States FDA approves the first vaccine against hepatitis B, one of the
primary causes of liver cancer (wiki-liver cancer history)
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 Free Choice
-Statistics

● These are Statistics estimated as of 2018

○ Estimated 42,220 diagnosed this year
○ Estimated 30,200 deaths this year
○ It is the 10th most common cancer
○ 5th most common cancer death for men and 8th most common cancer death for women
○ The general 5 year survival rate is 18%
○ If it is diagnosed early it goes up to 31%
○ If it has spread to surrounding tissue it goes down to 11%
○ If it has spread to a distant part of the body it drops down to only 3%
○ (Liver Cancer: Statistics)

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 Life Story Example
Rex David "Dave" Thomas was an
American businessperson and
philanthropist. Thomas was the founder
and chief executive officer of Wendy's, a
fast-food restaurant chain specializing in
hamburgers. He is also known for
appearing in more than 800 commercial
advertisements for the chain from 1989 to
2002, more than any other company
founder in television history. Age: Dec. at
70 (1932-2002)(Famous People Who Died
of Liver Cancer)
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 Reference Page

● https://www.cancer.org/cancer/liver-cancer/if-you-have-liver-cancer.html
● https://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/liver-cancer/statistics
● https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/liver-cancer/symptoms-causes/syc-203
53659
● https://www.cancer.org/cancer/liver-cancer/treating/by-stage.html
● https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/types/liver/risk-factors-prevention
● https://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/liver-cancer/statistics
● https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liver_cancer
● https://www.ranker.com/list/famous-people-who-died-of-liver-tumour/reference
● https://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/liver-cancer/statistics

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