Liver metastases are cancerous tumors that have spread (metastasized) to the liver from another part of your body. They can appear soon after your primary tumor develops or months or years later. These tumors can cause many different symptoms and effects on your health.
You should see your doctor as soon as you notice any new or worsening symptoms that you think may be related to liver metastases. They can help you manage these symptoms and side effects so you can stay healthy and get back to your normal life.
Your doctors will start a treatment plan for you that may include tests and other treatments that can help control the cancer or stop it from spreading. They will also monitor your condition over time to make sure your treatment is working and to look for any signs that the cancer may be growing or changing.
A CT scan, MRI, or PET scan can create pictures of the inside of your liver and show where the cancer is located. Your doctor may recommend these tests regularly to monitor your progress and keep track of how well the cancer is responding to treatment. They can also show how your liver is changing over time so they can adjust your treatments and monitor your side effects.
If your cancer has spread to the liver, it can be very difficult to cure. There is no known way to prevent this from happening, but you can do things that will help control the growth of the cancer and the symptoms that can occur. These include seeing your doctor regularly for checkups, getting regular blood work, and eating a healthy diet.
The liver is the largest organ in your body and is essential for many of your body’s functions. It divides into two lobes and is situated under your ribcage and lung on the right side of your abdomen.
It is the primary organ for digestion and elimination of waste products from your body, including fats, proteins, and chemicals. Your liver is also responsible for making bile, which helps your digestive system break down food. Its function is vital for maintaining your health and preventing serious diseases such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and some types of cancer.
Cancer cells grow quickly and can spread to other parts of your body. So your doctor will often use a combination of treatments to try to reduce the size and number of the cancer cells in your liver, and to control their growth. Some of these treatments include radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and other procedures that target cancer cells.
Your doctor will also use a type of surgery called hepatectomy to remove the cancer from your liver. This procedure is very effective in most cases, but it does not always remove all of the cancer. Some people will not need hepatectomy, and in these cases your doctor will often recommend other treatments such as a biliary stent to unblock the ducts that lead from the liver to the gallbladder and stomach.
