What are the side effects of the therapy?
The side effects vary depending on the therapy. Liver transplantation is associated with a certain risk of rejection. Rejection usually occurs in the first year after transplantation.There are different rejection reactions.
In some cases the transplant must be removed because of this. In all cases, a lifelong suppression of the immune system with medication is necessary after a transplant. This makes one more susceptible to infections.
In addition, the different drugs can lead to other side effects that vary from person to person. During transarterial radioembolisation there is a risk that the beads that emit the radiation will slip in position and possibly come into the vicinity of other abdominal organs. Here they can cause considerable side effects, as they lead to the death of cells. The drug sorafenib, which is used when the tumor can no longer be surgically removed or treated with other procedures, can cause diarrhea, skin rashes, bleeding and other symptoms.
What is the prognosis?
In order to be able to make a statement on the prognosis after the diagnosis of liver cancer, the tumor stage, liver function (limited liver function indicates an advanced stage of the disease with worsening prognosis), general health status and potential influence of therapeutic measures should be taken into account. Without appropriate therapy, the prognosis is poor. Since the disease leads to symptoms relatively late and hepatocellular carcinoma is only diagnosed at an advanced stage, the only option often left is palliative therapy.
Here, the average survival rates are only 6-12 months. When trying a curative treatment, the 5-year survival rates are 40-70% after liver transplantation, 20-50% after partial removal of the liver and 20-50% after local tumor removal. After liver surgery, mortality during the operation and up to a maximum of 3 months afterwards is 10%.
If a hepatocellular carcinoma is considered to be treated, there is always the risk of a relapse (recurrence). If the tumor has already connected to the blood vessel system and both liver lobes were affected by the tumor, the probability of a relapse is quite high. The size of the tumor must also be taken into account when calculating the probability of a relapse.
