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Childhood Liver Cancer Treatment

General Information About Childhood Liver Cancer

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Key Points

Childhood liver cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the liver.

The liver is one of the largest organs in the body. It has two lobes and fills the upper right side of the abdomen inside the rib cage. Three of the many important functions of the liver are:

  • To filter harmful substances from the blood so they can be passed from the body in stools and urine.
  • To make bile to help digest fats from food.
  • To store glycogen (sugar), which the body uses for energy.

Enlarge Anatomy of the liver; drawing shows the right and left lobes of the liver. Also shown are the bile ducts, gallbladder, stomach, spleen, pancreas, small intestine, and colon.

Anatomy of the liver. The liver is in the upper abdomen near the stomach, intestines, gallbladder, and pancreas. The liver has a right lobe and a left lobe. Each lobe is divided into two sections (not shown).

Liver cancer is rare in children and adolescents.

There are different types of childhood liver cancer.

There are two main types of childhood liver cancer:

  • Hepatoblastoma: Hepatoblastoma is the most common type of childhood liver cancer. It usually affects children younger than 3 years of age.

    In hepatoblastoma, the histology (how the cancer cells look under a microscope) affects the way the cancer is treated. The histology for hepatoblastoma may be one of the following:

    • Well-differentiated fetal (pure fetal) histology.
    • Small cell undifferentiated histology.
    • Non–well-differentiated fetal histology, non-small cell undifferentiated histology.
  • Hepatocellular carcinoma: Hepatocellular carcinoma usually affects older children and adolescents. It is more common in areas of Asia that have high rates of hepatitis B infection than in the U.S.

Other less common types of childhood liver cancer include the following:

This summary is about the treatment of primary liver cancer (cancer that begins in the liver). Treatment of metastatic liver cancer, which is cancer that begins in other parts of the body and spreads to the liver, is not discussed in this summary.

Primary liver cancer can occur in both adults and children. However, treatment for children is different from treatment for adults. See the PDQ summary on Adult Primary Liver Cancer Treatment for more information on the treatment of adults.

Certain diseases and conditions can increase the risk of childhood liver cancer.

Anything that increases your chance of getting a disease is called a risk factor. Having a risk factor does not mean that you will get cancer; not having risk factors doesn’t mean that you will not get cancer. Talk with your child’s doctor if you think your child may be at risk.

Risk factors for hepatoblastoma include the following syndromes or conditions:

Children at risk of hepatoblastoma may have tests done to check for cancer before any symptoms appear. Every 3 months until the child is 4 years old, an abdominal ultrasound exam is done and the level of alpha-fetoprotein in the blood is checked.

Risk factors for hepatocellular carcinoma include the following syndromes or conditions:

Some patients with tyrosinemia will have a liver transplant to treat this disease before there are signs or symptoms of cancer.

Signs and symptoms of childhood liver cancer include a lump or pain in the abdomen.

Signs and symptoms are more common after the tumor gets big. Other conditions can cause the same signs and symptoms. Check with your child’s doctor if your child has any of the following:

Tests that examine the liver and the blood are used to diagnose childhood liver cancer and find out whether the cancer has spread.

The following tests and procedures may be used:

  • Physical exam and health history: An exam of the body to check general signs of health, including checking for signs of disease, such as lumps or anything else that seems unusual. A history of the patient's health habits and past illnesses and treatments will also be taken.
  • Serum tumor marker test: A procedure in which a blood sample is checked to measure the amounts of certain substances released into the blood by organs, tissues, or tumor cells in the body. Certain substances are linked to specific types of cancer when found in increased levels in the blood. These are called tumor markers. The blood of children who have liver cancer may have increased amounts of a hormone called beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (beta-hCG) or a protein called alpha-fetoprotein (AFP). Other cancers, benign liver tumors, and certain noncancer conditions, including cirrhosis and hepatitis, can also increase AFP levels.

  • Complete blood count (CBC): A procedure in which a sample of blood is drawn and checked for the following:

  • Liver function tests: A procedure in which a blood sample is checked to measure the amounts of certain substances released into the blood by the liver. A higher than normal amount of a substance can be a sign of liver damage or cancer.
  • Blood chemistry studies: A procedure in which a blood sample is checked to measure the amounts of certain substances, such as bilirubin or lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), released into the blood by organs and tissues in the body. An unusual (higher or lower than normal) amount of a substance can be a sign of disease.
  • Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) test: A blood test to check for antibodies to the EBV and DNA markers of the EBV. These are found in the blood of patients who have been infected with EBV.
  • Hepatitis assay: A procedure in which a blood sample is checked for pieces of the hepatitis virus.

  • MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) with gadolinium: A procedure that uses a magnet, radio waves, and a computer to make a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the liver. A substance called gadolinium is injected into a vein. The gadolinium collects around the cancer cells so they show up brighter in the picture. This procedure is also called nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (NMRI).

    Enlarge Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the abdomen; drawing shows a child lying on a table that slides into the MRI scanner, which takes pictures of the inside of the body. The pad on the child’s abdomen helps make the pictures clearer.

    Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the abdomen. The child lies on a table that slides into the MRI scanner, which takes pictures of the inside of the body. The pad on the child’s abdomen helps make the pictures clearer.

  • CT scan (CAT scan): A procedure that makes a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body, taken from different angles. The pictures are made by a computer linked to an x-ray machine. A dye may be injected into a vein or swallowed to help the organs or tissues show up more clearly. This procedure is also called computed tomography, computerized tomography, or computerized axial tomography. In childhood liver cancer, a CT scan of the chest and abdomen is usually done.

    Enlarge Computed tomography (CT) scan of the abdomen; drawing shows a child lying on a table that slides through the CT scanner, which takes x-ray pictures of the inside of the abdomen.

    Computed tomography (CT) scan of the abdomen. The child lies on a table that slides through the CT scanner, which takes x-ray pictures of the inside of the abdomen.

  • Ultrasound exam: A procedure in which high-energy sound waves (ultrasound) are bounced off internal tissues or organs and make echoes. The echoes form a picture of body tissues called a sonogram. The picture can be printed to be looked at later. In childhood liver cancer, an ultrasound exam of the abdomen to check the large blood vessels is usually done.

    Enlarge Abdominal ultrasound; drawing shows a child lying on an exam table during an abdominal ultrasound procedure. A technician is shown pressing a transducer (a device that makes sound waves that bounce off tissues inside the body) against the skin of the abdomen. A computer screen shows a sonogram (picture).

    Abdominal ultrasound. An ultrasound transducer connected to a computer is pressed against the skin of the abdomen. The transducer bounces sound waves off internal organs and tissues to make echoes that form a sonogram (computer picture).
  • Abdominal x-ray: An x-ray of the organs in the abdomen. An x-ray is a type of energy beam that can go through the body onto film, making a picture of areas inside the body.

  • Biopsy: The removal of a sample of cells or tissues so it can be viewed under a microscope to check for signs of cancer. The sample may be taken during surgery to remove or view the tumor. A pathologist looks at the sample under a microscope to find out the type of liver cancer.

    The following test may be done on the sample of tissue that is removed:

    • Immunohistochemistry: A laboratory test that uses antibodies to check for certain antigens (markers) in a sample of a patient’s tissue. The antibodies are usually linked to an enzyme or a fluorescent dye. After the antibodies bind to a specific antigen in the tissue sample, the enzyme or dye is activated, and the antigen can then be seen under a microscope. This type of test is used to check for a certain gene mutation, to help diagnose cancer, and to help tell one type of cancer from another type of cancer.

Certain factors affect prognosis (chance of recovery) and treatment options.

The prognosis and treatment options for hepatoblastoma depend on the following:

  • The PRETEXT group.
  • The size of the tumor.
  • Whether the type of hepatoblastoma is well-differentiated fetal (pure fetal) or small cell undifferentiated histology.
  • Whether the cancer has spread to other places in the body, such as the diaphragm, lungs, or certain large blood vessels.
  • Whether there is more than one tumor in the liver.
  • Whether the outer covering around the tumor has broken open.
  • How the cancer responds to chemotherapy.
  • Whether the cancer can be removed completely by surgery.
  • Whether the patient can have a liver transplant.
  • Whether the AFP blood levels go down after treatment.
  • The age of the child.
  • Whether the cancer has just been diagnosed or has recurred.

The prognosis and treatment options for hepatocellular carcinoma depend on the following:

  • The PRETEXT group.
  • Whether the cancer has spread to other places in the body, such as the lungs.
  • Whether the cancer can be removed completely by surgery.
  • How the cancer responds to chemotherapy.
  • Whether the child has hepatitis B infection.
  • Whether the cancer has just been diagnosed or has recurred.

For childhood liver cancer that recurs (comes back) after initial treatment, the prognosis and treatment options depend on:

  • Where in the body the tumor recurred.
  • The type of treatment used to treat the initial cancer.

Childhood liver cancer may be cured if the tumor is small and can be completely removed by surgery. Complete removal is possible more often for hepatoblastoma than for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Stages of Childhood Liver Cancer

Key Points

After childhood liver cancer has been diagnosed, tests are done to find out if cancer cells have spread within the liver or to other parts of the body.

The process used to find out if cancer has spread within the liver, to nearby tissues or organs, or to other parts of the body is called staging. In childhood liver cancer, the PRETEXT and POSTTEXT groups are used instead of stage to plan treatment. The results of the tests and procedures done to detect, diagnose, and find out whether the cancer has spread are used to determine the PRETEXT and POSTTEXT groups.

There are two grouping systems for childhood liver cancer.

Two grouping systems are used for childhood liver cancer to decide whether the tumor can be removed by surgery:

  • The PRETEXT group describes the tumor before the patient has any treatment.
  • The POSTTEXT group describes the tumor after the patient has had treatment such as neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

There are four PRETEXT and POSTTEXT groups:

The liver is divided into four sections. The PRETEXT and POSTTEXT groups depend on which sections of the liver have cancer.

PRETEXT and POSTTEXT Group I

Enlarge Liver PRETEXT and POSTTEXT I; drawing shows two livers. Dotted lines divide each liver into four vertical sections of about the same size. In the first liver, cancer is shown in the section on the far left. In the second liver, cancer is shown in the section on the far right.

Liver PRETEXT and POSTTEXT I. Cancer is found in one section of the liver. Three sections of the liver that are next to each other do not have cancer in them.

In group I, the cancer is found in one section of the liver. Three sections of the liver that are next to each other do not have cancer in them.

PRETEXT and POSTTEXT Group I

Enlarge Liver PRETEXT and POSTTEXT II; drawing shows five livers. Dotted lines divide each liver into four vertical sections that are about the same size. In the first liver, cancer is shown in the two sections on the left. In the second liver, cancer is shown in the two sections on the right. In the third liver, cancer is shown in the far left and far right sections. In the fourth liver, cancer is shown in the second section from the left. In the fifth liver, cancer is shown in the second section from the right.

Liver PRETEXT and POSTTEXT II. Cancer is found in one or two sections of the liver. Two sections of the liver that are next to each other do not have cancer in them.

In group II, cancer is found in one or two sections of the liver. Two sections of the liver that are next to each other do not have cancer in them.

PRETEXT and POSTTEXT Group I

Enlarge Liver PRETEXT and POSTTEXT III; drawing shows seven livers. Dotted lines divide each liver into four vertical sections that are about the same size. In the first liver, cancer is shown in three sections on the left. In the second liver, cancer is shown in the two sections on the left and the section on the far right. In the third liver, cancer is shown in the section on the far left and the two sections on the right. In the fourth liver, cancer is shown in three sections on the right. In the fifth liver, cancer is shown in the two middle sections. In the sixth liver, cancer is shown in the section on the far left and in the second section from the right. In the seventh liver, cancer is shown in the section on the far right and in the second section from the left.

Liver PRETEXT and POSTTEXT III. Cancer is found in three sections of the liver and one section does not have cancer in it, or cancer is found in two sections of the liver and two sections that are not next to each other do not have cancer in them.

In group III, one of the following is true:

  • Cancer is found in three sections of the liver and one section does not have cancer.
  • Cancer is found in two sections of the liver and two sections that are not next to each other do not have cancer in them.

PRETEXT and POSTTEXT Group I

Enlarge Liver PRETEXT and POSTTEXT IV; drawing shows two livers. Dotted lines divide each liver into four vertical sections that are about the same size. In the first liver, cancer is shown across all four sections. In the second liver, cancer is shown in the two sections on the left and spots of cancer are shown in the two sections on the right.

Liver PRETEXT and POSTTEXT IV. Cancer is found in all four sections of the liver.

In group IV, cancer is found in all four sections of the liver.

There are three ways that cancer spreads in the body.

Cancer can spread through tissue, the lymph system, and the blood:

  • Tissue. The cancer spreads from where it began by growing into nearby areas.
  • Lymph system. The cancer spreads from where it began by getting into the lymph system. The cancer travels through the lymph vessels to other parts of the body.
  • Blood. The cancer spreads from where it began by getting into the blood. The cancer travels through the blood vessels to other parts of the body.

Cancer may spread from where it began to other parts of the body.

When cancer spreads to another part of the body, it is called metastasis. Cancer cells break away from where they began (the primary tumor) and travel through the lymph system or blood.

  • Lymph system. The cancer gets into the lymph system, travels through the lymph vessels, and forms a tumor (metastatic tumor) in another part of the body.
  • Blood. The cancer gets into the blood, travels through the blood vessels, and forms a tumor (metastatic tumor) in another part of the body.

The metastatic tumor is the same type of cancer as the primary tumor. For example, if childhood liver cancer spreads to the lung, the cancer cells in the lung are actually liver cancer cells. The disease is metastatic liver cancer, not lung cancer.

Many cancer deaths are caused when cancer moves from the original tumor and spreads to other tissues and organs. This is called metastatic cancer. This animation shows how cancer cells travel from the place in the body where they first formed to other parts of the body.

Sometimes childhood liver cancer continues to grow or comes back after treatment.

Progressive disease is cancer that continues to grow, spread, or worsen. Progressive disease may be a sign that the cancer has become refractory to treatment.

Recurrent childhood liver cancer is cancer that has recurred (come back) after it has been treated. The cancer may come back in the liver or in other parts of the body.

Treatment Option Overview

Key Points

There are different types of treatment for patients with childhood liver cancer.

Different types of treatments are available for children with liver cancer. Some treatments are standard (the currently used treatment), and some are being tested in clinical trials. A treatment clinical trial is a research study meant to help improve current treatments or obtain information on new treatments for patients with cancer. When clinical trials show that a new treatment is better than the standard treatment, the new treatment may become the standard treatment.

Taking part in a clinical trial should be considered for all children with liver cancer. Some clinical trials are open only to patients who have not started treatment.

Children with liver cancer should have their treatment planned by a team of healthcare providers who are experts in treating this rare childhood cancer.

Treatment will be overseen by a pediatric oncologist, a doctor who specializes in treating children with cancer. The pediatric oncologist works with other healthcare providers who are experts in treating children with liver cancer and who specialize in certain areas of medicine. It is especially important to have a pediatric surgeon with experience in liver surgery who can send patients to a liver transplant program if needed. Other specialists may include the following:

Six types of standard treatment are used:

Surgery

When possible, the cancer is removed by surgery.

  • Partial hepatectomy: Removal of the part of the liver where cancer is found. The part removed may be a wedge of tissue, an entire lobe, or a larger part of the liver, along with a small amount of normal tissue around it.
  • Total hepatectomy and liver transplant: Removal of the entire liver followed by a transplant of a healthy liver from a donor. A liver transplant may be possible when cancer has not spread beyond the liver and a donated liver can be found. If the patient has to wait for a donated liver, other treatment is given as needed.
  • Resection of metastases: Surgery to remove cancer that has spread outside of the liver, such as to nearby tissues, the lungs, or the brain.

The type of surgery that can be done depends on the following:

  • The PRETEXT group and POSTTEXT group.
  • The size of the primary tumor.
  • Whether there is more than one tumor in the liver.
  • Whether the cancer has spread to nearby large blood vessels.
  • The level of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) in the blood.
  • Whether the tumor can be shrunk by chemotherapy so that it can be removed by surgery.
  • Whether a liver transplant is needed.

Chemotherapy is sometimes given before surgery to shrink the tumor and make it easier to remove. This is called neoadjuvant therapy.

After the doctor removes all the cancer that can be seen at the time of the surgery, some patients may be given chemotherapy or radiation therapy after surgery to kill any cancer cells that are left. Treatment given after the surgery, to lower the risk that the cancer will come back, is called adjuvant therapy.

Watchful waiting

Watchful waiting is closely monitoring a patient’s condition without giving any treatment until signs or symptoms appear or change. In hepatoblastoma, this treatment is only used for small tumors that have been completely removed by surgery.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is a cancer treatment that uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. When chemotherapy is taken by mouth or injected into a vein or muscle, the drugs enter the bloodstream and can reach cancer cells throughout the body (systemic chemotherapy). When chemotherapy is placed directly into the cerebrospinal fluid, an organ, or a body cavity such as the abdomen, the drugs mainly affect cancer cells in those areas (regional chemotherapy). Treatment using more than one anticancer drug is called combination chemotherapy.

Chemoembolization of the hepatic artery (the main artery that supplies blood to the liver) is a type of regional chemotherapy used to treat childhood liver cancer that cannot be removed by surgery. The anticancer drug is injected into the hepatic artery through a catheter (thin tube). The drug is mixed with a substance that blocks the artery, cutting off blood flow to the tumor. Most of the anticancer drug is trapped near the tumor and only a small amount of the drug reaches other parts of the body. The blockage may be temporary or permanent, depending on the substance used to block the artery. The tumor is prevented from getting the oxygen and nutrients it needs to grow. The liver continues to receive blood from the hepatic portal vein, which carries blood from the stomach and intestine to the liver. This procedure is also called transarterial chemoembolization or TACE.

The way the chemotherapy is given depends on the type of the cancer being treated and the PRETEXT or POSTTEXT group.

Radiation therapy

Radiation therapy is a cancer treatment that uses high-energy x-rays or other types of radiation to kill cancer cells or keep them from growing. There are two types of radiation therapy:

Radioembolization of the hepatic artery (the main artery that supplies blood to the liver) is a type of internal radiation therapy used to treat hepatocellular carcinoma. A very small amount of a radioactive substance is attached to tiny beads that are injected into the hepatic artery through a catheter (thin tube). The beads are mixed with a substance that blocks the artery, cutting off blood flow to the tumor. Most of the radiation is trapped near the tumor to kill the cancer cells. This is done to relieve symptoms and improve quality of life for children with hepatocellular carcinoma.

The way the radiation therapy is given depends on the type of the cancer being treated and the PRETEXT or POSTTEXT group. External radiation therapy is used to treat hepatoblastoma that cannot be removed by surgery or has spread to other parts of the body.

Ablation therapy

Ablation therapy removes or destroys tissue. Different types of ablation therapy are used for liver cancer:

  • Radiofrequency ablation: The use of special needles that are inserted directly through the skin or through an incision in the abdomen to reach the tumor. High-energy radio waves heat the needles and tumor which kills cancer cells. Radiofrequency ablation is being used to treat recurrent hepatoblastoma.
  • Percutaneous ethanol injection: A small needle is used to inject ethanol (pure alcohol) directly into a tumor to kill cancer cells. Treatment may require several injections. Percutaneous ethanol injection is being used to treat recurrent hepatoblastoma.

Antiviral treatment

Hepatocellular carcinoma that is linked to the hepatitis B virus may be treated with antiviral drugs.

New types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials.

This summary section describes treatments that are being studied in clinical trials. It may not mention every new treatment being studied. Information about clinical trials is available from the NCI website.

Targeted therapy

Targeted therapy is a type of treatment that uses drugs or other substances to attack cancer cells. Targeted therapies usually cause less harm to normal cells than chemotherapy or radiation therapy do.

Treatment for childhood liver cancer may cause side effects.

For information about side effects that begin during treatment for cancer, see our Side Effects page.

Side effects from cancer treatment that begin after treatment and continue for months or years are called late effects. Late effects of cancer treatment may include:

  • Physical problems.
  • Changes in mood, feelings, thinking, learning, or memory.
  • Second cancers (new types of cancer).

Some late effects may be treated or controlled. It is important to talk with your child's doctors about the effects cancer treatment can have on your child. (See the PDQ summary on Late Effects of Treatment for Childhood Cancer for more information).

Patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial.

For some patients, taking part in a clinical trial may be the best treatment choice. Clinical trials are part of the cancer research process. Clinical trials are done to find out if new cancer treatments are safe and effective or better than the standard treatment.

Many of today's standard treatments for cancer are based on earlier clinical trials. Patients who take part in a clinical trial may receive the standard treatment or be among the first to receive a new treatment.

Patients who take part in clinical trials also help improve the way cancer will be treated in the future. Even when clinical trials do not lead to effective new treatments, they often answer important questions and help move research forward.

Patients can enter clinical trials before, during, or after starting their cancer treatment.

Some clinical trials only include patients who have not yet received treatment. Other trials test treatments for patients whose cancer has not gotten better. There are also clinical trials that test new ways to stop cancer from recurring (coming back) or reduce the side effects of cancer treatment.

Clinical trials are taking place in many parts of the country. Information about clinical trials supported by NCI can be found on NCI’s clinical trials search webpage. Clinical trials supported by other organizations can be found on the ClinicalTrials.gov website.

Follow-up tests may be needed.

Some of the tests that were done to diagnose the cancer or to find out the treatment group may be repeated. Some tests will be repeated to see how well the treatment is working. Decisions about whether to continue, change, or stop treatment may be based on the results of these tests.

Some of the tests will continue to be done from time to time after treatment has ended. The results of these tests can show if your condition has changed or if the cancer has recurred (come back). These tests are sometimes called follow-up tests or check-ups.

Treatment of Childhood Hepatoblastoma

For information about the treatments listed below, see the Treatment Option Overview section.

Treatment options for newly diagnosed hepatoblastoma that can be removed by surgery at the time of diagnosis may include the following:

Treatment options for newly diagnosed hepatoblastoma that cannot be removed by surgery or is not removed at the time of diagnosis may include the following:

  • Combination chemotherapy to shrink the tumor, followed by surgery to remove the tumor.
  • Combination chemotherapy, followed by a liver transplant.
  • Chemoembolization of the hepatic artery to shrink the tumor, followed by surgery to remove the tumor.
  • If the tumor in the liver cannot be removed by surgery but there are no signs of cancer in other parts of the body, the treatment may be a liver transplant.

For newly diagnosed hepatoblastoma that has spread to other parts of the body at the time of diagnosis, combination chemotherapy is given to shrink the tumors in the liver and cancer that has spread to other parts of the body. After chemotherapy, imaging tests are done to check whether the tumors can be removed by surgery.

Treatment options may include the following:

  • If the tumor in the liver and other parts of the body (usually nodules in the lung) can be removed, surgery will be done to remove the tumors followed by chemotherapy to kill any cancer cells that may remain.
  • If the tumor in other parts of the body cannot be removed or a liver transplant is not possible, chemotherapy, chemoembolization of the hepatic artery, or radiation therapy may be given.
  • If the tumor in other parts of the body cannot be removed or the patient does not want surgery, radiofrequency ablation may be given.

Treatment options in clinical trials for newly diagnosed hepatoblastoma include:

  • A clinical trial of chemotherapy and surgery.

Treatment of Childhood Hepatocellular Carcinoma

For information about the treatments listed below, see the Treatment Option Overview section.

Treatment options for newly diagnosed hepatocellular carcinoma that can be removed by surgery at the time of diagnosis may include the following:

Treatment options for newly diagnosed hepatocellular carcinoma that cannot be removed by surgery and has not spread to other parts of the body at the time of diagnosis may include the following:

Treatment for newly diagnosed hepatocellular carcinoma that has spread to other parts of the body at the time of diagnosis may include:

  • Combination chemotherapy to shrink the tumor, followed by surgery to remove as much of the tumor as possible from the liver and other places where cancer has spread. Studies have not shown that this treatment works well but some patients may have some benefit.

Treatment options for newly diagnosed hepatocellular carcinoma related to hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection include:

Treatment options in clinical trials for newly diagnosed hepatocellular carcinoma include:

  • A clinical trial of chemotherapy and surgery.

Treatment of Childhood Undifferentiated Embryonal Sarcoma of the Liver

For information about the treatments listed below, see the Treatment Option Overview section.

Treatment options for newly diagnosed undifferentiated embryonal sarcoma of the liver may include the following:

Treatment of Infantile Choriocarcinoma of the Liver

For information about the treatments listed below, see the Treatment Option Overview section.

Treatment options for newly diagnosed choriocarcinoma of the liver in infants may include the following:

Vascular Liver Tumors

See the PDQ summary on Childhood Vascular Tumors Treatment for information on the treatment of vascular liver tumors.

Treatment of Progressive or Recurrent Childhood Liver Cancer

For information about the treatments listed below, see the Treatment Option Overview section.

Treatment of progressive or recurrent hepatoblastoma may include the following:

Treatment of progressive or recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma may include the following:

  • Chemoembolization of the hepatic artery to shrink the tumor before liver transplant.
  • Liver transplant.
  • A clinical trial of targeted therapy (sorafenib).
  • A clinical trial that checks a sample of the patient's tumor for certain gene changes. The type of targeted therapy that will be given to the patient depends on the type of gene change.

Treatment of recurrent undifferentiated embryonal sarcoma of the liver may include the following:

  • A clinical trial that checks a sample of the patient's tumor for certain gene changes. The type of targeted therapy that will be given to the patient depends on the type of gene change.

Treatment of recurrent choriocarcinoma of the liver in infants may include the following:

  • A clinical trial that checks a sample of the patient's tumor for certain gene changes. The type of targeted therapy that will be given to the patient depends on the type of gene change.

To Learn More About Childhood Liver Cancer

For more information from the National Cancer Institute about childhood liver cancer, see the following:

For more childhood cancer information and other general cancer resources, see the following:

About This PDQ Summary

About PDQ

Physician Data Query (PDQ) is the National Cancer Institute's (NCI's) comprehensive cancer information database. The PDQ database contains summaries of the latest published information on cancer prevention, detection, genetics, treatment, supportive care, and complementary and alternative medicine. Most summaries come in two versions. The health professional versions have detailed information written in technical language. The patient versions are written in easy-to-understand, nontechnical language. Both versions have cancer information that is accurate and up to date and most versions are also available in Spanish.

PDQ is a service of the NCI. The NCI is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). NIH is the federal government’s center of biomedical research. The PDQ summaries are based on an independent review of the medical literature. They are not policy statements of the NCI or the NIH.

Purpose of This Summary

This PDQ cancer information summary has current information about the treatment of childhood liver cancer. It is meant to inform and help patients, families, and caregivers. It does not give formal guidelines or recommendations for making decisions about health care.

Reviewers and Updates

Editorial Boards write the PDQ cancer information summaries and keep them up to date. These Boards are made up of experts in cancer treatment and other specialties related to cancer. The summaries are reviewed regularly and changes are made when there is new information. The date on each summary ("Updated") is the date of the most recent change.

The information in this patient summary was taken from the health professional version, which is reviewed regularly and updated as needed, by the PDQ Pediatric Treatment Editorial Board.

Clinical Trial Information

A clinical trial is a study to answer a scientific question, such as whether one treatment is better than another. Trials are based on past studies and what has been learned in the laboratory. Each trial answers certain scientific questions in order to find new and better ways to help cancer patients. During treatment clinical trials, information is collected about the effects of a new treatment and how well it works. If a clinical trial shows that a new treatment is better than one currently being used, the new treatment may become "standard." Patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial. Some clinical trials are open only to patients who have not started treatment.

Clinical trials can be found online at NCI's website. For more information, call the Cancer Information Service (CIS), NCI's contact center, at 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237).

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The best way to cite this PDQ summary is:

PDQ® Pediatric Treatment Editorial Board. PDQ Childhood Liver Cancer Treatment. Bethesda, MD: National Cancer Institute. Updated <MM/DD/YYYY>. Available at: https://www.cancer.gov/types/liver/patient/child-liver-treatment-pdq. Accessed <MM/DD/YYYY>. [PMID: 26389318]

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Updated:

This content is provided by the National Cancer Institute (www.cancer.gov)

Syndicated Content Details:
Source URL: https://www.cancer.gov/node/5220/syndication
Source Agency: National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Captured Date: 2013-09-14 09:02:42.0

NCI Designated Cancer Center
NCCN National Comprehensive Cancer Network
NCI National Clinical Trials Network
CEO Cancer Gold Standard