Cancer Center

Compassionate, Personalized Treatment for Liver Cancer

If you've been recently diagnosed with liver cancer, you and your family probably have many questions and concerns.

At the Liver Cancer Program at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, our experienced team understands how overwhelming a cancer diagnosis can be. That's why we offer not only leading-edge cancer treatment, but also access to a range of support services for you and your family, such as:

• Onsite outpatient accommodations
• Nutrition counseling
• Social services
• Massage
• Acupuncture
• Pain management

Our multidisciplinary team treats all types of liver tumors, including:

• Hepatocellular carcinoma (associated with hepatitis B, hepatitis C and excessive drinking)
• Cancer of the bile ducts (cholangiocarcinoma)
• Metastatic colorectal or breast cancers
• Carcinoid tumors (neuroendocrine tumors of the gut)
• Benign tumors and cysts like hepatic adenomas and hemangiomas

What Treatments Are Right for Me?

Your treatment options depend on the type of cancer you have, how far it has advanced and your overall health. This is why having a team of specialists is so important. We'll work with you and your family to ensure your unique treatment plan addresses all aspects of your health.

Tumor Removal
Our surgeons specialize in minimally invasive liver resections. During this procedure, we remove the diseased portion of your liver laparoscopically through incisions as small as the tip of your finger. This minimally invasive approach reduces your pain, risk and recovery time.

Our doctors also use other minimally invasive therapies to remove or destroy liver tumors, including:

• Radiofrequency ablation (RFA): Image-guided treatment that heats and destroys cancer cells
• Cryosurgery: A technique to freeze and destroy abnormal tissue
• Chemoembolization and radioembolization: The process of delivering anti-cancer drugs or radioactive particles directly to a tumor

Transplants
If you need a liver transplant, your care team will work in close collaboration with the doctors of the Transplant Surgery Service. This is one of New England's most successful multi-organ transplant programs, with outcomes exceeding national averages.

Drug Therapy
Your treatment regimen may also include targeted drug therapy such as sorafenib or chemotherapy. Sorafenib is the first targeted therapy approved for liver cancer, and it offers new hope to patients whose cancer has spread or who cannot undergo surgery.

Clinical Trials
In addition to standard treatments, our program offers access to promising new therapies through participation in clinical trials at Tufts MC and across the country. View our open trials >

A Team Approach to Cancer Care

Our team includes liver specialists (hepatologist), surgeons, radiologists, oncologists, dedicated nurses, nutritionists and social workers. Together, we work to provide personalized treatment for each and every one of our patients. For your convenience during appointments, you can see your entire care team in one location.

American Liver Foundation

American Liver Foundation of New England

American Cancer Society

National Cancer Institute

American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases

International Liver Cancer Association

We value our relationship with referring physicians, and we'll communicate with you by phone or in writing as soon as we see your patient. In addition, we're always available for questions.