Metastatic Liver Cancer Prognosis

Metastatic liver cancer or secondary liver cancer refers to the type of liver cancer which affects the liver, but originates elsewhere in the body. Mostly, pancreas, colon, breast, lung, GI tract are the organs responsible for metastatic liver cancer. The primary cancer originates in any of these organs and then spreads to liver, resulting in liver cancer metastases. Although, metastatic liver cancer survival rates are not bright, its prognosis often depends upon the individual health of the cancer patient.

Metastatic Liver Cancer Prognosis

Prognosis begins when the diagnosis to confirm metastatic cancer is done. Physical examination is required to confirm the possibility of liver cancer. A tender and painful liver is often an indication of liver cancer. Biopsy of liver is then performed to detect the growth of cancer cells in the liver and to check if the cancer is primary or secondary. More image tests are performed to support the biopsy and also to determine the course of cancer treatment. The physician may then clarify the prognosis for metastatic liver cancer. More tests are performed as a part of prognosis, which are as follows:

MRI Scan
MRI scan or Magnetic Resonance Imaging scan is performed to take detailed images of the entire body. This is done in order to trace the origin of the primary cancer. MRI scan is very important in cancer treatment, as the primary cancer has to be destroyed along with the secondary cancer, to prevent it from attacking the liver again.

Gamma PET Scan
This is a prognostic tool for metastatic liver cancer, which uses simple sugar and diagnostic radiation. Cancer cells exhibit a higher metabolism for sugar, as compared to normal cells. Gamma PET scan, scans the entire body to detect areas which show rapid metabolism for sugar. Depending upon the test results, cancer treatment can be initiated.

Extreme Drug Resistance Test
Extreme Drug Resistance (EDR) test is performed on the solid tumors in the body. This test enables the physician to find out the probability of the tumor for resisting a particular chemotherapy drug. This is an important prognostic factor, as it helps in accurate selection of drugs for chemotherapy.

Survival Rates

Metastatic liver cancer is one of the most fatal liver diseases. Its survival rates are poor, with the person dying within 6 months to one year of diagnosis. It is rare to find cancer patients with metastatic liver cancer who exceed their life expectancy beyond one year. The treatment options are also limited at this stage. However, initial condition during diagnosis can be a crucial deciding factor for survival rate of metastatic cancer patients. If the tumor is small, without vascular invasion and if the patient is in excellent mental and physical health, then the life expectancy can considerably increase. Surgeries or other cancer treatments can prove to be effective at this stage.

Metastatic liver cancer is often interpreted as 'death within six months'. However, this is not always true, as there are cases where people have successfully fought this disease. Hence, instead of worrying about how little time you've left, start enjoying the pleasures of life. This will give you the mental and physical strength required to fight this disease, which may result in better response to your treatment.