Liver Cancer Surgical Options

Often, the first step in treating liver cancer is surgery to remove as much of the tumor as possible. In many cases, surgery can be performed using minimally invasive techniques or robot-assisted technology.

Our experts have pioneered minimally invasive hepatic resection surgery, where a portion of the liver is removed through four or five small incisions in the abdomen.

This technique can lead to a faster recovery, less pain, and a shorter hospital stay than is possible with open surgery.

• Learn more about liver surgery at UPMC.

Regional Perfusion Surgical Treatment for Liver Cancer

If your cancer is too advanced for surgical removal, your doctor may recommend a regional perfusion surgical treatment:

• Isolated liver perfusion, which delivers chemotherapy directly to the liver through an open surgery.
• Hepatic arterial infusion (HAI) pump, which uses an implanted pump to deliver chemotherapy directly to the liver.
• Chemotherapy-impregnated beads, a noninvasive interventional radiology procedure in which chemotherapy is delivered directly into the tumor through the placement of beads.
• Yttrium-90 internal radiation therapy, an interventional radiology procedure in which radioactive beads are implanted directly into the liver to shrink the tumor.
• Radio frequency (Rf) ablation, a minimally invasive procedure in which Rf waves are used to burn the tumor.

More Liver Cancer Surgical Treatment Options

Additional options for the treatment of liver cancer include:

• Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE)
• Robot-assisted surgery
• Transplantation

Learn more about UPMC Hillman Cancer Center's David C. Koch Regional Perfusion Cancer Therapy Center.

Contact Us About Liver Cancer Care

To learn more about Liver Cancer or to make an appointment, you can:

• Call 412-647-2811
• Contact a UPMC Hillman Cancer Center near you.