Liver Cancer. We’ll deliver new treatments.
Although liver cancer is not a common cancer, the rate of diagnosis continues to rise. It’s a looming health threat in Australia, with a high mortality rate. Here at HealthMatch, we want you to be a fighter – and a liver. Find a liver cancer clinical trial today.
Liver Cancer Clinical Trials
Liver – it’s the largest organ inside our body. The number of people diagnosed with liver cancer has increased fivefold in less than 40 years. It made up 4.3% of cancer-related deaths in 2019.
Liver cancer is when abnormal cells grow and spread in the liver. Although the causes of liver cancer are not fully understood, there are certain facts associated with the risk of developing it. These risk factors include cirrhosis, hepatitis B; hepatitis C, and obesity.
Looking for how to help someone with liver cancer? At HealthMatch, we’re bringing forward tomorrow’s treatments. We have more than six trials available for liver cancer, including ones aimed at immunotherapy and biologic treatment.
Men are 3x
more likely to be diagnosed as women ¹
1 in 61
males will be diagnosed with liver cancer by their 80th birthday ²
The third
most common type of cancer in Indigenous Australians ³
Foundation
Liver Foundation
The Liver Foundation raises awareness and funds critical research into the prevention, detection and diagnosis, treatment, and cure of liver disease. Their WA body has been supporting people with liver disease since 1995.
They encourage people to educate, improve, inform, and participate in preventive health care of their liver.
Liver Foundation Support Services
Support services from the Liver Foundation include health and prevention advice; diet and nutrition guidelines; scientific-educational conferences for health professionals; a helpline, and more.
Resources
CancerAid
CancerAid is a free phone app that provides users with the knowledge, tools and support to improve life with cancer. It is available on the App Store and Google Play.
Understanding Cancer in the Liver
This booklet, available for free download on the Cancer Council website, is a 72-page guide for people affected by liver cancer.
FAQ
What is liver cancer?
Liver cancer is when abnormal cells grow and spread in the liver. When it comes to liver cancer – which is a type of solid cancer – these abnormal cells form a mass or lump called a tumour.
Liver cancer is divided into two types of main types: primary, and secondary. Primary is where the malignant tumour started in the liver. Secondary is where the cancer started elsewhere in the body, and spread to the liver.
There are several primary types. These include hepatocellular carcinoma; cholangiocarcinoma; hepatoblastoma, and angiosarcoma.
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), or hepatoma, starts in the main cell types of the liver – the hepatocytes. It’s the most common type of liver cancer in adults (75%). It most often develops in people with cirrhosis. Cirrhosis is liver disease where healthy liver cells are replaced by scar tissue, causing the liver to stop working properly.
Cholangiocarcinoma is also known as bile duct cancer. This type starts in the cells lining the bile ducts. The bile ducts connect the liver to both the bowel and gall bladder. It occurs in 10-15% of primary liver cancer cases.
Hepatoblastoma is a tumour that starts in the liver. It is a very rare form of liver cancer, that most often affects children under the age of three.
Angiosarcoma starts in the blood vessels. It is a rare type of liver cancer, and is more likely to occur in people over 70.
What are the symptoms of liver cancer?
Throughout the early stages of the cancer, there aren’t often many symptoms.
As the cancer grows or spreads, symptoms may appear. These symptoms include fatigue; pain or swelling of the abdomen; yellowing skin and eyes; nausea; itchy skin; appetite loss and more.
How do you treat liver cancer?
Liver cancer treatment is dependent on several factors, including the size of the cancer; its spread; whether major blood vessels are involved, and whether the patient has cirrhosis.
Treatment options include surgery; liver transplant; thermal ablation (where heat is used to destroy the tumour); transarterial chemoembolisation (where chemotherapy is delivered directly into the cancer); radiation therapy; targeted therapy drugs or palliative care/treatment.
Is there a cure for liver cancer?
The five-year survival rate for liver cancer is 18%.
50% of cases of liver cancer are caused by hepatitis B and hepatitis C infection. These infections can be prevented through immunisation.
What is a clinical trial?
A clinical trial is a scientific study involving patient or non-patient (healthy) human volunteers. They help determine whether medicines are safe and effective to introduce as new treatments for a particular disease or condition.
How do I select a clinical trial?
HealthMatch matches you to clinical trials, in an easy-to-understand process.
After completing a medical questionnaire, our platform searches for and filters eligible trials for you. You’re able to view matches and apply for trials, on your trial dashboard.
We’ll put you in direct contact with the trial group once you’ve been accepted. We won’t stop searching until we’ve found you the right match.
Find a Liver Cancer Clinical Trial Today
1 Cancer Council, About Liver Cancer
2 Australian Government Cancer Australia, Liver cancer in Australia statistics
3 Cancer Council, Three charts on: cancer rates in Australia, where liver cancer is on the rise while other types fall