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Liver cancer

October 31, 2023 — published by Pyramidale Communication

At Pyramidale Communication Agency, we leverage our expertise across various oncological conditions. Liver cancer is one of them.

Key numbers for liver cancer ^1,2

11,600: the estimated number of new liver cancer cases in France in 2023. 80% of which are men
Survival rate: 18% at five years for patients diagnosed between 2010 and 2015
Median age at diagnosis: 70 years for men and 73 years for women

What is liver cancer? ^3,4

The term liver cancer covers several subtypes of cancer.

Among primary cancers (those that initially develop in the liver), hepatocellular carcinoma (also known as hepatocarcinoma) accounts for nearly 70% of cases. It develops from hepatocytes, almost always in the context of chronic liver disease progressing to cirrhosis. The most common cause of cirrhosis is alcohol consumption. The second most common primary liver cancer is cholangiocarcinoma, which develops from bile duct cells (cholangiocytes).

Metastatic cancers are 20 to 50 times more common than primary liver cancers due to the liver’s role in filtering blood. Tumors found in the liver most often originate from the lung, colon, breast, or kidney.

Diagnostic criteria and medical care ⁵

In individuals with chronic liver disease, cancer is often discovered during routine follow-up examinations. However, in people with no known liver disease, liver cancer may remain undetected for a long time. Several symptoms, such as a palpable liver mass, digestive disorders, jaundice, ascites, confusion, and tremors, may prompt further investigations.

Several tests are required to detect a potential liver tumor:

First, an ultrasound is performed to identify a suspicious liver mass. An MRI or CT scan is then used to confirm the diagnosis.
A blood test may detect the presence of alphafetoprotein, a substance found in the blood in some cases of liver cancer.
A biopsy of liver cells.

In terms of treatment, for small tumors (affecting approximately 30% of patients), curative treatments are available: ³

Surgery involving partial liver resection or radiofrequency ablation of the tumor in patients with preserved liver function;
Liver transplantation when liver function is impaired.

However, in most cases, surgical removal of the tumor is not possible.
In such situations, anticancer treatments may reduce tumor size and slow disease progression, sometimes while awaiting transplantation. These treatments may include:

Chemoembolization, which involves injecting chemotherapy drugs into the liver and blocking the tumor’s blood supply (embolization);
Targeted therapies.

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