www.liver.org.uk | LSCA - Liver Cancer Surgery Appeal

If left untreated, half of those patients diagnosed with liver cancer will not survive six months. Fewer that 1 in 100 will live for 5 years. These are the stark facts.

For most there is a future – the choice of surgery with follow up treatment. Up to 40% of those patients survive 5 years and many will live 10 years.

The liver is a powerful organ and essential to life, approximately a quarter of the body’s blood flows through the liver every minute, it aids digestion. Breaks down toxins, helps recycle red blood cells and regulates cholesterol.

Primary bowel cancer is common in the UK and affects up to 30,000 people. These patients are regularly checked, undergoing blood tests and various scans to look for secondary cancer.

Sadly, until it is well advanced, secondary liver cancer produces few symptoms. Surgical resection may be considered for most of those patients with primary cancer in other organs but those with inoperable disease, radiofrequency is an option. Alternatively, chemotherapy may shrink the tumour sufficiently for surgery to become an option.

Liver surgery is a safe procedure in the hands of a skilled and highly trained hepatic surgeon but this level of expertise requires specialised equipment.