Liver & Kidney Cancer Treatment

The treatment of liver cancer (primarily hepatocellular carcinoma) and kidney cancer (mainly renal cell carcinoma) depends on various factors, including the stage of the disease, the patient’s overall health, liver or kidney function, and specific tumor characteristics.

Liver Cancer Types:

Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC): The most common type, usually arising in the context of chronic liver disease.

Cholangiocarcinoma: Cancer of the bile ducts.

Hepatoblastoma: A rare type that primarily affects children.

Symptoms:

Unexplained weight loss.

Loss of appetite.

Upper abdominal pain.

Nausea and vomiting.

Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes).

Treatment Options for Liver Cancer

Early-Stage Disease

• Surgical Resection: Suitable for patients with one or two tumors confined to one part of the liver and without significant cirrhosis.
• Liver Transplantation: Ideal for patients with early-stage tumors who also have significant cirrhosis; the Milan criteria often guide eligibility.

Localized Tumors

• Ablation Techniques:
  • Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA): Uses heat to destroy cancer cells.
  • Microwave Ablation: Similar to RFA but uses microwaves.
  • Ethanol Injection: Injecting alcohol directly into tumors can effectively kill cancer cells.

Advanced Disease

• Transarterial Chemoembolization (TACE): Chemotherapy drugs are delivered directly into the tumor’s blood supply combined with embolics that block blood flow, leading to tumor shrinkage.
• Selective Internal Radiation Therapy (SIRT): Involves injecting tiny beads containing radioactive material into blood vessels feeding the tumor.

Systemic Treatments:

• Targeted Therapy:
  • Drugs like Sorafenib and Lenvatinib inhibit pathways critical for tumor growth.
• Immunotherapy:
  • Nivolumab alone or combined with Ipilimumab has shown effectiveness in some advanced cases.

Kidney Cancer Types 

Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC): The most common type in adults.

Wilms Tumor: A type of kidney cancer primarily affecting children.

Transitional Cell Carcinoma: Can occur in the renal pelvis.

Symptoms:

Blood in urine (hematuria).

Persistent back pain.

Weight loss.

Fatigue.

A lump or mass in the abdomen.

Treatment Options for Kidney Cancer

Localized Kidney Cancer

• Surgery:
  • Partial Nephrectomy: The removal of a tumor along with a margin of healthy tissue; preferable when feasible to preserve kidney function.
  • Radical Nephrectomy: Complete removal of one kidney along with surrounding tissues; this may include lymph nodes if necessary.

Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC)

If surgery is not an option or if there’s metastatic disease:

• Targeted Therapy:These therapies focus on blocking specific pathways involved in RCC development:  – Medications such as Sunitinib, Pazopanib, Axitinib target VEGF pathways which are crucial for angiogenesis in tumors.  – Cabozantinib targets multiple signaling pathways implicated in RCC progression.
• Immunotherapy:Immune checkpoint inhibitors have transformed advanced RCC treatment:  – Nivolumab alone or in combination with Ipilimumab can be effective based on PD-L1 expression levels or other biomarkers indicative of immunogenicity.

Conclusion

It’s essential for patients diagnosed with either liver or kidney cancer to work closely within a multidisciplinary team that includes oncologists, surgeons, radiologists, pathologists, nutritionists/dietitians specialized in oncology care. They will help formulate individualized treatment plans based on current guidelines and research advances tailored specifically to each patient’s unique case scenario. Regular follow-ups post-treatment are crucial for monitoring recovery and managing any potential recurrence effectively.

Below is a summary of treatment options for both types of cancer.

1. Surgery: Surgical removal of tumors or affected organs is a common treatment for many types of cancer.

2. Chemotherapy: The use of drugs to kill cancer cells or stop them from growing. Chemotherapy can be used alone or in combination with other treatments.

3. Radiation therapy: High-energy rays are used to shrink tumors and kill cancer cells.

4. Immunotherapy: This treatment uses the body’s own immune system to help fight cancer.

5. Targeted therapy: Drugs that specifically target certain genes or proteins involved in the growth and survival of cancer cells.

6. Hormone therapy: Used to treat cancers that are hormone-sensitive, such as breast and prostate cancers.

7. Stem cell transplant: A procedure that replaces damaged bone marrow with healthy stem cells to help regrow healthy blood cells after high-dose chemotherapy or radiation therapy.

8. Precision medicine: Personalized treatment plans based on a person’s specific genetic makeup and the genetic profile of their tumor.

If you have specific questions about liver & kidney cancer treatments, its management, or anything related, feel free to ask! We will be pleased to help you with our wide hospital & clinic network all over the Turkiye.