Metastatic liver cancer

Need to know

• Liver cancer symptoms icon plus

  With liver metastases, the symptoms are similar to those of primary liver cancer, although often there are no symptoms at all. Symptoms of liver metastases vary depending on the number of tumours and where they are in the liver. Symptoms may include:

   

  • loss of appetite and unexplained weight loss
  • feeling very full after eating, even small amounts
  • nausea and vomiting
  • pain or bloating in your tummy
  • jaundice (yellowing skin)
  • itchy skin
  • feeling tired and weak

   

  As these symptoms are quite vague and can often be caused by other conditions, it’s a good idea to get checked by your GP or consultant if you notice them.

• Diagnosis of liver metastases icon plus

  In order to diagnose liver metastasis, you may be given the following tests:

   

  • a physical examination to check for tenderness where the liver is, under the right-hand side of your rib cage
  • blood tests
  • liver endoscopic ultrasound scan (EUS)
  • CT scan
  • MRI scan
  • Liver biopsy (small needle used to take a sample of tissue) and your liver is then examined with a laparoscope (a thin tube with a tiny camera)

• Treatment for liver metastases icon plus

  With secondary liver cancer, surgery may be an option, but chemotherapy is the most common treatment. This will depend on which parts of the liver are affected, where the primary cancer is, whether the primary tumour has been removed and if the cancer has spread to other parts of the body. Options may include:

   

  • surgical resection – removing a section of liver
  • liver transplant – replacing with a donor liver
  • microwave or radiofrequency ablation – using microwaves or radio waves to kill cancerous cells
  • chemotherapy – medicine to destroy the cancer cells