Liver cancer treatment

Liver cancer

Hematoma, which is a cancer of the liver tissue, is the most common cancer of the liver. These patients mainly have chronic liver disease, i.e. cirrhosis. Cirrhosis is mainly the result of carrying hepatitis B or C.

The liver is also the organ where other cancers spread (metastasize) the most. Colon cancer is one of the most common types of cancer that spread to the liver. Chemoembolization treatment of the liver it is also a remedy that can be used in the spread (metastasis) from other organs.

What is TAKE or chemoembolization?

TAKE “Trans Arterial ChemoEmbolization” is an abbreviated form of the words It is the simultaneous administration of both particles and the drug through the vein by entering through the arterial vein. That is, entering the cancer tissue through an arterial vein, placing the cancer drug and particles that help the drug stay in the cancer tissue for a long time. TAKE or chemoembolization is done with the help of angiography. It is mostly used in liver cancer. In addition, it has been used in the treatment of some cancers. In the future, it will become a treatment that will play a fundamental role in the treatment of common cancer.

Brief information

• TAKE or chemoembolization is an angio treatment for cancer located in the liver.
• There is a treatment that has been used in the world for 25 years and is more effective than chemotherapy.
• Need for chemotherapy? does not have a negative effect and can be done at the same time. However, it is not possible to do it to every patient.
• The liver vein is entered and the cancer drug and the drug-carrying gel particles are placed inside the cancer.
• The most important aspect is that the medicine given thanks to the particles stays in the liver longer and keeps the cancer under its longer-term effect.
• Because it was done with Angio, the patient is given 1 day of bed rest.
• Purchasing is very simple and convenient. It is not an operation. There is no trace of a knife. No anesthesia is used and it is painless.
• From the first 24 hours after the intervention, there may be pain in the liver region, nausea and vomiting for a few days. It is impossible to prevent them with medicines.
• The transaction can be repeated if needed. Re-treatment is usually done 2-3 months after the first treatment. Repetition can be done in different periods.

What is the difference between TAKE and chemotherapy?

Chemotherapy used in cancer patients is given through arm veins. A very small part of this drug goes to the cancer tissue and is then cleared from the blood. The same amount of medicine that is given to the cancer is also sent to other organs of the body. For this reason, as it affects the liver, it also affects other organs and causes unwanted negative reactions.

In chemoembolization, the drug is given directly to the liver tissue. It affects the cancer tissue more and affects other organs less. For this reason, it is the most effective and the most harmless.

In TAKE or chemoembolization:

1. The drug enters the liver veins and is delivered directly to the cancer.

2. Medicines are not given. There are also foreign particles inside the cancer. Medicine is placed inside these particles. The particles go to the cancer tissue through the vein and stay there for 2-3 days. During this period, the drug, reduced to particles, slowly enters the cavity. For this reason, the effect of chemoembolization is greater than that of chemotherapy.

The most important aspect of TAKE is that it is more effective than chemotherapy and the patient's life is improved. is an extension (scientifically proven). It has few negative effects.

The downside of TAKE is that it is done with angiography. For this reason, the patient has to stay in the hospital for one day.

How is the TAKE done?

• The patient is hospitalized.
• The transaction is explained in detail.
• The patient is taken for angiography.
• In order not to feel pain during angiography and to avoid anxiety and worry related to the procedure, a painkiller or sedative is injected from the arm vein.
• Angio is performed through an incision in the groin (like other types of angio).
• A thin plastic tube (catheter) is inserted into the hepatic artery.
• Vessels of the liver and vessels leading to the cancer are visible. 
• A thinner catheter is inserted into the vein that feeds the cancer, and the cancer drug placed in the special particles is released. 
• In addition to the particles, it is in the anti-cancer drug.
• Process is terminated. 
• The patient rests in bed for 4-6 hours. Then he can stand up
• In each angiography, the patient is put to sleep for 4-6 hours after the intervention. TAKE or chemoembolization treatment can cause pain, nausea and vomiting in some patients. For this reason, despite the fact that we send all patients home after angiography, we spend one day in the hospital for chemoembolization patients. This is because we can more easily prevent post-procedure pain, nausea and vomiting with medication in the hospital. Our patients are discharged home after 1 day.

Is the chemoembolization treatment necessary and painful?

TAKE treatment is a procedure done with angio under local anesthesia. All our patients are injected with painkillers or sedatives from the arm vein before and after the intervention, and no no pain is felt.

After the procedure, there may be flank pain in the right part of the abdomen (in the liver region), which lasts mainly for 24 hours. However, the vast majority of patients find this process easy and comfortable.

How effective is chemoembolization treatment?

TAKE is a drug that is mainly used in the slightly advanced stages of cancer, rather than in the early stages. The main treatment for primary liver cancer is surgical removal of the cancer or cure using methods such as radiofrequency/microwave.

Angio solution completely cures cancer in some patients. In some patients, it causes cancer to grow. Angio medicine improves the quality of life of the patient and reduces the risk of death. extends.

Is repeat angio treatment (chemoembolization) necessary?

If additional treatment is needed after the first angio intervention, the session can be repeated. They look at the cancer's growth, spread, and response to initial treatment. Basically, one patient receives two chemoembolization treatments. However, there are patients who are satisfied with one treatment, and there are patients who repeat 3-4 treatment procedures.

Chemotherapy can be done before and after TAKE treatment. If there is residual cancer tissue after TAKE, it is impossible to treat the cancer with additional treatments. That is, chemoembolization does not have a negative effect on other treatments.

If the cancer is only in the liver and has not spread, it is possible to observe the cancer and treat it completely. Mainly, repeat sessions are done for new cancer tissues.

Negative effects of the purchase

Chemoembolization with Angio is an effective and reliable solution. Patients may have flank pain, nausea, or vomiting for 1 or 2 days after the procedure. In some patients, depending on the immunity and spread of cancer, these indicators may last longer. The patient may feel tired. After the procedure, it is impossible to prevent such symptoms with drugs.

In a study of patients, there are already some of the indicators listed for the second time. there is no one.

Patient monitoring after chemoembolization treatment. 

One month after the procedure, the liver is examined and the results of the blood analysis are reviewed.

In 1-2 months after the procedure, to check how the tumor responds to the treatment, CT, MRI or USM examination is performed.

All control examinations are carried out in consultation with the oncologist who follows the patient.