Liver cancer treatments

Liver cancer surgery

Whether it is proposed from the outset or not, liver cancer surgery is difficult, with risks of postoperative complications. It requires significant expertise, like that of Institut Curie's teams, to remove part of the liver. This procedure is called hepatectomy. This surgery involves cleaning of the lymph nodes in order to check if they were invaded by cancer cells.

Chemotherapy for liver cancer 

Chemotherapy can follow surgery. As a rule, capecitabine is the standard protocol, and it lasts six months following hepatectomy. It is a non-cytotoxic fluoropyridine carbamate. If surgery is not immediately offered, the doctor may opt for hepatic intra-arterial chemotherapy, which involves administering the chemotherapy drug via a chamber catheter, placed in the hepatic artery during a preparatory arteriogram. Institut Curie uses other partner centers to carry out this treatment.  

Liver cancer embolizations

Embolization is an effective way to treat cholangiocarcinoma locally. This technique is based on obstruction of the vessels supplying the tumor radiologically. It involves administering chemotherapy, known as chemo-embolization, or beads loaded with radioactive material (radio-embolization). Institut Curie uses other partner centers to carry out this treatment, such as the Beaujon AP-HP Hospital in Clichy.

Targeted therapy of liver cancer

Targeted therapy is an effective cholangiocarcinoma treatment because it is associated with many molecular abnormalities on which these therapies can act. Targeted treatments indeed act on the mechanisms specific to cancer cells.

Immunotherapy for liver cancer

Immunotherapy is recommended as a first line in addition to chemotherapy for patients with cholangiocarcinoma who have metastases and who are not operable. Institut Curie is also exploring a promising research axis by testing the benefits of dual immunotherapy.