Liver cancer, metastasis in the liver prognosis

Medicine for decades is engaged in research in the field of development of oncological diseases, but so far the cancer process has not been fully investigated. For example, why a cell can degenerate into an anomalous one and subsequently become the starting destructive engine. Malignant tumor and metastases in the liver - the forecast is not comforting. They arise under the influence of different causes, leading to a violation of the body, in the absence of proper treatment, a possible fatal outcome is possible.

Liver cancer is primary and secondary. Primary is not widely distributed, several times more often they suffer from the male half of humanity. The main reason for the development of this form of cancer is the growth of viral hepatitis( B, C, D) passing into a chronic form, the second cause is alcoholic hepatitis, which leads to cirrhosis of the liver. Secondary disease - metastasis in the liver( the prognosis in this case is very unfavorable) - develops against the background of another tumor affected organ( lung, breast, intestine, prostate, ENT organs and others).

Hazardous metastases in the liver can increase in size( more than 10 cm) and lead to liver failure, the strongest intoxication of the body due to the decay of the products of life. Most often, metastases are formed from malignant tumors of the intestinal tract, since blood already "infected" with tumor cells is initially sent to the liver for natural filtration, where these cells settle on the vascular network and begin to form colonies - metastases. It should be noted that the tumor of any internal organ is capable of metastasizing in the liver.

If there are metastases in the liver, the prognosis is usually disappointing, but in order to say more precisely, the doctor must conduct the necessary examinations. According to experts, liver metastases are detected in 1/3 of patients with oncology, especially with lung, stomach, colon and breast cancer, they rarely appear in ovarian and prostate cancer.

Signs of liver cancer

The clinical picture is almost identical in both primary tumor and secondary. Usually, with malignant diseases, there are no significant symptoms. At the initial stage of development, weakness, fever, rapid fatigue, stool changes, periodic diarrhea, loss of appetite and weight, pain or a feeling of squeezing in the right hypochondrium may occur. Often, all these symptoms are confused with other diseases: cholelithiasis, cholangitis, cholecystitis, while patients are treated specifically for these ailments, launching the oncology stage.

Pain on the right side can increase when the tumor reaches a significant size, in this case it disrupts the work of nearby organs and, as a consequence, the capsule of the liver is greatly stretched. The more advanced the stage, the more the tumor progresses and causes a disturbance of the liver functions - the processed bile enters the intestine, it affects the color of the skin, the mucous membranes( eye proteins, mouth) - they acquire a yellow tint, itching and dryness may appear. There is also a rise in temperature( up to 39 C).

Detection of tumors and metastases of the liver

Even huge liver metastases, whose prognosis is extremely unfavorable, may for some time retain the function of the organ and not lead to jaundice. Bile in this case is excreted through healthy ducts, but in the blood the level of bilirubin will be increased several times. To establish the diagnosis, a number of analyzes and studies are needed, the main of which are:

• Ultrasound of the abdominal cavity - helps to recognize the size and nature of the existing tumor, as well as the presence of metastases.
• SCT or JMRT - more accurately diagnoses malignant tumors.
• The next step is puncture of the tumor. The taken tissue sample is sent for study in histology to determine its shape.
• General analysis of urine, blood from the finger and vein.

Forecast of

About 52% of patients survive( within 5 years after surgery), with one malignant node, 38% remain alive with 2 knots. If the patient has 3 knots and more, the chances are even lower - no more than 18%.Even after a successful operation, the survival rate is 40%.The most favorable prognosis for tumors of the colon and rectum.

In any case, it is necessary to carry out treatment to slow or stop the growth of the tumor and not allow the development of complications. In the case of surgical intervention with cancer and liver metastases, resection of the organ is performed - removal of tumor-like formations. This operation allows you to completely eliminate, the dangerous area, as you know, the liver can recover in size - it takes about six months.