Liver Metastases

When you have cancer, you need a supportive environment and compassionate medical care. At Baptist Health Herbert Wertheim 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.

What are liver metastases?

Liver metastases develop when cancerous (malignant) tumors spread (metastasize) to your liver from another part of your body. These metastases are also called secondary liver cancer. They are more common than primary liver cancer — cancer that starts in your liver.

Most of the tumors that spread to your liver come from a primary tumor in your colon or rectum. But they can also come from your lung, kidney, pancreas or stomach.

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:

• Creates proteins that stop bleeding
• Creates fluid (bile) that helps you digest food
• Removes waste from your body

According to the American Cancer Society, the five-year survival rate for patients with liver metastases is 14 percent.

Treating Liver Metastases

Liver metastases can be difficult to treat because they spread to the liver from somewhere else in your body. Our experts at Baptist Health Herbert Wertheim Cancer Institute will work with you to develop a therapy plan that works best for your needs. We’re dedicated to treating your cancer, improving your quality of life and increasing your chances of remission.

We offer a full range of treatment options, including:

• Chemotherapy
• Image-guided interventional therapies
• Radiation therapy
• Surgery
• Targeted therapy