Primary liver tumors

Many improvements have been made in the treatment of primary liver tumors, especially in hepatocellular carcinoma. Partial hepatectomy still remains the mainstay of therapy for resectable tumors, and it offers the potential of a cure. Total hepatectomy and liver transplantation may be applicable in selected patients. Palliative resection and tumor debulking operations are beneficial for some malignant tumors. Local ablative therapy can be tried on patients with small tumors who are not suitable candidates for open resectional surgery because of serious associated medical diseases or because of poor liver function. For patients with advanced malignancy new treatment modalities in the form of hepatic artery transcatheter treatment or systemic therapy are on the horizon. Some of these treatment options show very promising results. Properly conducted randomized studies are required to evaluate these new treatment modalities, as well as those older treatment modalities for which there is insufficient data to determine their actual role in the management of patients with liver cancer. Semin. Surg, Oncol. 19:135-144, 2000. (C) 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.