Metastatic Liver Cancer

What is Metastatic Liver Cancer
Metastasis is a Greek word, which means displacement. In this type of cancer the spread of disease is from one organ to another organ in the body. This organ may be adjacent or non-adjacent. Previously it was believed that only malignant tumor cells could metastasize, but the latest research has proved otherwise. Cancer is caused, when a single cell in a tissue is genetically damaged and causes the formation of a cancer stem cell possessing a malignant phenotype. Numerous cancer cells are formed at the location, when the cancerous cells undergo abnormal mitosis. The organ, where the cancer cells are originally formed is called primary tumor. Out of these, cancerous cells penetrate into the surrounding normal tissues in another area and form a new tumor. The new tumor so formed is called local metastasis. A metastatic tumor is formed, when the tumor cells metastasize the new tumor. The metastatic tumor is similar to the original tumor. To explain it, if colon cancer metastasizes to the liver, the metastatic tumor is made up of abnormal colon cells and not liver cells. Such a liver cancer is called metastatic liver cancer and not colon cancer. Hence, to understand this disease better, metastatic liver cancer symptoms and treatment are given below.

Metastatic Liver Cancer Symptoms
The metastatic liver cancer symptoms are vague, therefore often go unnoticed. Some symptoms like weight loss, poor appetite, fever, etc. may be noticed, but often they may not be seen in relation to metastatic liver cancer. Prominent symptoms of liver cancer is enlarged liver, which is also hard. The liver may feel tender and also lumpy. The person may feel discomfort in the upper, right portion of the abdomen.

Jaundice is also one of the symptoms of liver cancer. If the bile ducts is blocked, the bile produced flows back into the bloodstream. The bile in the bloodstream causes the skin and the white in the eyes to become yellow. There can be fluid build up caused by the lymphatic system being blocked by cancer cells. It is the lymphatic system, which is responsible for draining excess fluid out of the body. If the system is blocked, effective draining of the excess fluid may not be possible causing the lymphatic system to be blocked.

Metastatic Liver Cancer Stages
There are four metastatic liver cancer stages. In the first stage of liver cancer, the tumor is localized. The size of the tumor is 2 cm or less and is located in a single area of the liver. In the second stage the cancer has spread to one or more locations, but yet has not made its way to the adjoining lymph nodes or blood vessels. There are two possibilities of spread of cancer, when it reached the third stage. There is a single tumor, which is larger in size than 2 cm and the blood vessels around the tumor are affected. In stage III B, the tumor can be of any size, but the cancer may have spread to the adjacent lymph nodes and the blood vessels and the other organs are not affected. In the next stage also, there are two possibilities. The cancer has either made its way into both the liver lobes and has also spread to the adjacent lymph nodes and organs, other than the gallbladder. The blood vessels may also be affected with it. Else the cancer may have spread to distal organs and lymph, that are located farthest from the point of origin.

Metastatic Liver Cancer Treatment
For metastatic liver cancer prognosis, different methods are used. Tests like extreme drug resistance, Gamma PET, MRI can be used, apart from physical examination of the patient. Depending on the stage of cancer is the metastatic liver cancer treatment. The metastatic liver cancer life expectancy is high, if the cancer is diagnosed in the initial stage. The patient may have to undergo chemotherapy. It helps to shrink the tumor and the metastatic liver cancer survival rate is increased, but is not able to cure cancer. Radiation is another treatment. It normally follows chemotherapy. In some cases of metastatic liver cancer, the tumor is removed. However, only if the experts are of the opinion, that the surgery will prove to be helpful.

If the metastatic liver cancer is detected in the early stages, it will help to treat the condition faster and arrest the further spread of cancer. In case of any of the symptoms like loss of appetite, weight loss, etc., it is better to have yourself examined, to rule out cancer.