You receive coordinated consultation, diagnosis, and treatment from a team of specialists in Hepatology, Hepatobiliary and Transplant Surgery, Medical Oncology, Radiation Oncology, Interventional Radiology, and Palliative Care.
Our services include:
- Comprehensive diagnostic capabilities, including ultrasound, CT, MRI, angiography, and alpha-fetoprotein blood and liver function tests
- Surgical resection and transplant consultation including the use of minimally invasive laparoscopic liver resections and radiofrequency ablation
- The latest treatment options in interventional radiology including radiofrequency ablation, transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), and administration of Therasphere treatments
- Advanced medical oncology that directs the use of local and systemic chemotherapy and radiation therapy including the newest agent, Nexavar, an oral medication that for the first time has convincing evidence of efficacy in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)
- Interventional gastroenterology including endoscopic ultrasound, ERCP, treatment of esophageal varices, and placement of endobiliary stents for palliation in patients with advanced biliary cancers
- Comprehensive palliative care for pain and symptom management, as well as to enhance the physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being of patients and their families
- Nutrition support services
Our Liver Tumor Clinic offers state-of-the-art care for an increasing population of patients with primary liver cancer:
- Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC): An increase in hepatocellular carcinoma has been driven largely by the hepatitis C epidemic. Although, the cirrhosis due to other causes, including hepatitis B, alcoholism, and fatty liver disease, can also predispose patients to the development of hepatocellular carcinoma.
- Cholangiocarcinoma: Cholangiocarcinoma occurs in the setting of chronic biliary tract disease including primary sclerosing cholangitis and biliary obstruction.
Once identified, the best hope for a long term cure is an aggressive approach to treatment. Because primary liver tumors frequently occur in patients with complex co-morbid conditions, an integrated multidisciplinary approach to care is vital. Through the use of new techniques and intensive treatment, patients with primary liver tumors can experience long term survival and may even be cured.
Both HCC and cholangiocarcinoma are often "silent" in the early stages, and many patients do not exhibit symptoms until their disease is advanced and difficult to treat.
The best chance for cure is early diagnosis through screening for HCC in high-risk populations, including all patients with cirrhosis and those patients with chronic active viral hepatitis, and periodic reassessment of patients at high risk for cholangiocarcinoma.