When you have cancer, you need a supportive environment and compassionate medical care. At Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute, our gastrointestinal cancer specialists blend a gentle approach to care with world-recognized expertise and innovations to detect and treat your specific cancer.
We’ll work with you to create a personalized treatment plan that meets your unique needs. By collaborating with other specialists in nutrition, physical rehabilitation and pain management, we focus on delivering holistic care. And we incorporate groundbreaking discoveries to design the best, most effective therapies for you.
Liver cancer develops when cancerous (malignant) cells grow in your liver. It can be an aggressive disease that prevents your liver and other organs from working well.
Primary liver cancer is cancer that starts in your liver. It’s less common than secondary liver cancer — cancer that begins somewhere else and spreads (metastasizes) to your liver.
Your liver, located right below your right lung, is the organ that helps your body break down and store the nutrients found in your blood. Your liver also:
Primary liver cancer occurs most often in people in their 60s and 70s. It’s also more common in people who have chronic liver conditions like hepatitis C. According to the American Cancer Society, the five-year survival rate for liver cancer that hasn’t spread is 37 percent. The survival rate drops to 14 percent for cancer that has spread to surrounding tissue.
If you have liver cancer, our experts can determine which type of disease you have. There are several types of primary liver cancer.
Primary liver cancer rarely produces symptoms during its early stages. If you do experience signs, they can include:
In many cases, our experts can identify the cause of your liver cancer. But, sometimes, the reason remains unknown. Also, finding liver cancer early can be difficult since symptoms frequently only develop with later-stage disease. So, it’s important to know your risk factors.
While having these factors doesn’t mean you will develop liver cancer, they will put you at an increased risk. Our specialists at Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute can help you identify and understand the risk factors that are unique to you.
The most common risk factor for liver cancer is chronic hepatitis B or hepatitis C infection. This infection can lead to cirrhosis — scarring of your liver. You can become infected with these viruses through sharing unsterilized needles with or having unprotected sex with someone who also has the virus.
Other liver cancer risk factors include:
Because we don’t always know the cause of a specific cancer, there’s no guaranteed way to prevent it. But you can reduce your risk by adopting healthy lifestyle behaviors.
Taking steps to avoid the biggest primary liver cancer risk factor — hepatitis B or hepatitis C — is critical. Our experts at Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute recommend:
To further reduce your risk, they suggest:
Our experts can work with you to develop a screening plan to check for liver cancer if you have certain diseases that increase your risk. We used the most advanced technologies, including imaging scans like ultrasound, to detect any signs of cancer.
Our cancer specialists at Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute expertly combine the best of clinical research with the best of patient care to deliver your best outcomes.
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