Can stage 4 liver cancer be cured? (2023)

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More than 800,000 people worldwide are diagnosed with liver cancer each year, according to the American Cancer Society. This type of cancer kills more than 700,000 people a year. It affects men more often than women. The average age of diagnosis is 50-60 years. However, it is possible to develop the disease at an earlier or later age.

Liver cancer may be primary or secondary. The latter is a stage 3 or 4 cancer of another organ that metastases to the liver. Malignant tumours of the lung, stomach, rectum, breast or pancreas predominantly spread to this area.

The overwhelming majority of primary liver cancers are hepatocellular carcinomas. Somewhat less common are cholangiocarcinoma, angiosarcoma, epithelioid haemangioendothelioma, hepatoblastoma and embryonal sarcoma.

Stage 4 liver cancer is the most advanced form of cancer. It is the last stage of the disease and it carries the highest risk of death. It may be diagnosed years after cancer has been detected and treated, or at the initial screening.

Stage 4A

The tumour can be of any size. There may be several malignant nodes and cancer cells may have spread into blood vessels or neighbouring organs. Lymph nodes are affected but distant organs are not.

Stage 4B

The tumour is of any size. There may be several foci of cancer. Malignant cells can spread into blood vessels or neighbouring organs. Lymph nodes may or may not be affected, but there is damage to distant organs, particularly the lungs or bones.

For more information about grade 4 liver cancer with metastases, contact the coordinating doctors of the international MediGlobus platform. We will do our best to answer your medical questions and help you arrange your cancer treatment abroad.

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Eye and skin jaundice,

itchy skin,

nausea and vomiting,

loss of appetite,

white faeces,

a feeling of a lump in the right side of the abdomen,

elevated body temperature,

dark urine,

bloated abdomen,

severe weight loss,

constant fatigue.

In terminal liver cancer, treatment is usually aimed at prolonging the patient’s life, improving their condition and alleviating their symptoms. The choice of specific treatments will depend on many criteria, such as the patient’s age and health, previous treatment options and the characteristics of the tumour.

Usually, a liver transplant is not performed for stage 4 cancer. By this point the disease usually metastasizes to distant organs, rendering transplantation ineffective.

Surgery for end-stage liver cancer is also rarely used. It involves removing parts of the liver that are affected by the tumour (for example, a partial hepatectomy or segmentectomy). This will not remove cancer completely, but it will alleviate the symptoms and prolong the patient’s life.

The following treatments for grade 4 liver cancer are more effective and more commonly used:

radiation therapy,

immune therapy,

targeted therapies,

chemotherapy.

The second treatment option for stage 4 liver cancer is stereotactic radiotherapy (SBRT). During the procedure, several beams of high-dose radiation are delivered to the tumour from different angles. The impact on neighbouring tissues is minimal. The best candidates for SBRT are inoperable patients with small tumours that have clear borders.

The third treatment for metastatic liver cancer is embolisation with Yttrium-90 (Y-90) microspheres. The microspheres are injected into the liver, which allows the affected organ to be irradiated with little or no damage to healthy systems and tissues.

Immunotherapy is often used for stage 4 liver cancer. The monoclonal antibodies atezolizumab and bevacizumab are considered first-line drugs. They help the patient’s immune system to fight the malignant cells. These drugs can be used together. They are administered intravenously according to a schedule, about once every 2-4 weeks.

If the first-line drugs do not work, other immune drugs can be prescribed. This method of treatment can also be combined with targeted therapy.

In 2022 the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the combination of the immunotherapy drugs durvalumab and tremelimumab for the treatment of patients with unresectable hepatocellular cancer. This treatment improves survival and can reduce the risk of death by 22%.

Several targeted drugs are used to treat terminal liver cancer. These drugs target cancer cells and do little to no damage to healthy tissue. They are not as toxic as standard chemotherapy and cause fewer side effects.

Targeted drugs block the production of a protein that helps malignant tumours grow. This slows down the progression of the disease and relieves symptoms. These drugs are usually taken as tablets 1-2 times a day for 3-4 weeks. Then a break of about a week is taken and the treatment is repeated.

Chemotherapy is prescribed in cycles, with periods of medication and rest alternating. Generally, the cycle depends on the drug and lasts for about 2-3 weeks. The administration of chemotherapy can be intravenous or oral. It is also possible to deliver the drug directly into the hepatic artery. This option is more effective than traditional chemotherapy.

Liver artery infusion is different from chemoembolization (blocking the artery supplying blood to the tumour with a chemical). It involves placing a catheter with an infusion pump under the skin of the abdomen. Chemotherapy drugs are injected into the hepatic artery with a special needle. This allows higher doses of medicine to be delivered directly to the mass.

Even in the advanced stages of liver cancer, there are treatments available that can help patients to reduce symptoms, slow down the progression of the disease and maintain a decent quality of life. To travel abroad for Stage 4 hepatocellular liver cancer treatment or any other type of advanced cancer of this organ, click on the button below and fill in the feedback form.

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In the summer of 2015, Andrea was on holiday in Wales with her family. At this time she felt excruciating pain in her chest. She sought medical help, but it took six weeks for her to get a proper diagnosis. Initially, Andrea was told she had pulled a muscle or had an upset stomach.

The pain became unbearable and the woman was taken to the ER twice. On her second visit, she refused to leave the ward until she had a more detailed examination. The doctors took tests, which came back “clean”, and followed with an ultrasound. This test showed a tumour the size of a pineapple.

Andrea was relieved to know the cause of the pain. But this relief was short-lived. She was told that there was nothing to be done about the disease and that she had to get her affairs in order as she had about 6 weeks to live. However, Andrea decided not to give up and got a second medical opinion. She went to another hospital where she was told that she could have emergency surgery.

Andrea continues to have regular check-ups, as cholangiocarcinoma has a high recurrence rate. However, this doesn’t stop her from living a full life. She has climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, cycled through Vietnam and Cambodia and visited Everest base camp.

To undergo diagnosis and treatment of liver cancer abroad, contact the specialists at MediGlobus. We will help you in choosing a clinic and doctor and will take you on a medical trip as soon as possible.

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