If you’ve recently been diagnosed with liver cancer, Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and WashU Medicine is ready to help. We are one of the top centers in the U.S. for treating the disease.
Our WashU Medicine physicians and surgeons have cared for many liver cancer patients. They will make a treatment plan so you can feel better now and in the future.
When liver cancer is caught at an early stage, many patients can experience a successful treatment.
About Liver Cancer
The liver is a large organ in the upper belly. It has many jobs in the body, including filtering blood.
Liver cancer develops in liver cells. It is also called “hepatocellular carcinoma.”
Sometimes, cancer develops in the bile ducts located inside the liver. This is a type of bile duct cancer called “intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.”
Cancer cells from other organs can spread to the liver through the bloodstream. These cancer cells can multiply and form tumors. But the tumors are not liver cancer because they did not grow from liver cells. We call these types of tumors “metastatic tumors.” Tumors that develop in liver cells are called “primary liver cancer.”
How does liver cancer develop?
Liver cancer develops when a cell in the liver becomes abnormal. We call this a “genetic mutation.”
The abnormal cells begin to cause problems in the liver. It starts to make more abnormal cells very fast. Over time, these abnormal cells form a lump called a tumor.
Liver cells are more likely to become abnormal if the liver is already damaged. This can happen if someone drinks too much alcohol over a long period of time.
Certain viruses also damage the liver. The viruses hepatitis B and hepatitis C cause most cases of primary liver cancer.
Why Choose Siteman?
Siteman Cancer Center has been a leader in cancer care for over 25 years. We are the only cancer center in our region to be recognized as a Comprehensive Cancer Center by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). U.S. News & World Report consistently ranks us among the top cancer facilities in the nation.
At Siteman, patients benefit from cutting-edge treatments and compassionate, personalized care.
World-class Transplant Team
WashU Medicine surgeons at Siteman are world leaders in performing liver transplants for cancer. We have a long history of performing liver transplants at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. Since our liver transplant program began in 1985, our team has done over 3,000 transplants.
If you need a liver transplant, you will be in skilled, experienced hands.
Team-based, Specialist Care
When you become a Siteman patient, a team of WashU Medicine physicians and surgeons will care for you. These doctors specialize in treating patients with liver cancer and other cancers in the belly. You will have different types of doctors on your team, including surgeons, medical oncologists, interventional radiologists, gastroenterologists, and radiation oncologists. They will work together to make a treatment plan for you.
HAI Pump Therapy
Patients with liver cancer often benefit from chemotherapy. At Siteman, WashU Medicine physicians are experts at delivering chemotherapy straight to the tumor with a special device called a hepatic arterial infusion (HAI) pump. This technique yields excellent results while protecting the rest of the body from side effects.
Clinical Trials
Every cancer treatment available today was studied in a clinical trial first. At Siteman, new clinical trials are evaluating the cancer treatments of the future.
Through clinical trials, you can receive treatments that may be more effective than the current standard of care.
Siteman Cancer Center is a leader in clinical trials. WashU Medicine researchers and physicians bring patients numerous trials for liver cancer, including trials for cutting-edge approaches such as immunotherapy. Your WashU Medicine physicians lead clinical trials. If a clinical trial could help you, they will let you know.
Our Siteman care coordinators – oncology-trained nurses who help with scheduling, finding the right specialist, and guidance – can help you through the process.
Call us directly or submit a form, and we will call you back.
