Liver cancer treatment isn't one-size-fits-all, and the right approach often depends as much on the health of the rest of the liver as it does on the tumour itself. Dr. Pavan Addala treats liver cancer at Medicover Hospitals, Secunderabad, bringing a combination that's genuinely uncommon: HPB oncology expertise for surgical removal of the tumour, and, as Program Head for Liver & Pancreas Transplant, direct oversight of transplant as a treatment path for patients who qualify.
There's an important distinction worth understanding early: primary liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma) starts in the liver itself, while cancer that has spread to the liver from elsewhere in the body, most often the colon, is a different situation entirely, sometimes called secondary or metastatic liver cancer. The two are evaluated and treated differently, so knowing which one applies matters from the start. Primary liver cancer most often develops in a liver that's already damaged by another condition, particularly cirrhosis, which is why treatment planning usually has to consider the health of the whole liver, not just the tumour.
For people with known cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis, regular monitoring is often part of ongoing care specifically because of this risk.
Liver cancer often causes no symptoms in its earlier stages, which is part of why people with known risk factors like cirrhosis are usually monitored with regular scans, catching potential tumours before symptoms appear. When symptoms do occur: unexplained weight loss, loss of appetite, upper abdominal pain or a palpable mass, jaundice, swelling in the abdomen or legs, and general fatigue.
Diagnosis typically involves imaging (ultrasound, CT, or MRI), blood tests including AFP (a tumour marker), and sometimes a biopsy, though for some patients with cirrhosis and a characteristic-looking mass, imaging alone can be enough to guide treatment planning. For patients with cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis, regular surveillance imaging (often every six months) is standard practice specifically to catch liver cancer at an earlier, more treatable stage.
Broadly, there are two surgical paths for liver cancer, and which one applies depends on the specific case. Surgical resection removes the tumour along with a margin of liver tissue, leaving the rest of the liver in place, and is often suitable when the remaining liver is healthy enough to function well afterward. Liver transplant, replacing the liver entirely, can be an option for certain liver cancers meeting specific criteria, particularly in patients whose underlying liver disease (such as cirrhosis) would make resection risky or wouldn't address the underlying problem driving cancer risk. For tumours not suitable for either, other options include ablation (destroying the tumour with heat or other energy) or embolization (cutting off its blood supply), depending on the case. For suitable cases, liver resection may also be performed using a robotic-assisted approach.
Learn more about Liver & Pancreas Transplant →Because Dr. Addala leads both the HPB oncology practice and the Liver & Pancreas Transplant program at Medicover Hospitals, Secunderabad, the decision between resection and transplant doesn't require being passed between separate surgical and transplant teams at different points in the evaluation, which can otherwise slow down decision-making for a diagnosis where timing matters.
A liver cancer diagnosis involves weighing genuinely different treatment paths, resection, transplant, or other options, each with different implications. A second opinion that specifically considers all of these paths, not just one, is a valuable step before deciding.
Book a second-opinion consultation →No. Cancer that started in the liver (primary liver cancer) and cancer that spread to the liver from another organ (secondary or metastatic liver cancer) are different situations, evaluated and treated differently.
For certain patients, yes, particularly when the cancer is accompanied by significant underlying liver disease like cirrhosis. Whether transplant is appropriate depends on specific medical criteria, assessed through evaluation.
Resection removes the tumour and a margin of liver tissue while leaving the rest of the liver in place. Transplant replaces the liver entirely. Which is appropriate depends on the tumour and the health of the remaining liver.
Regular monitoring is often recommended for people with cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis, specifically because of increased liver cancer risk, typically with imaging every six months.
Yes. For tumours not suitable for either, ablation or embolization procedures may be options, depending on the specific case.
Given how different these two paths are, yes — a second opinion that weighs both options directly, rather than one that only considers the treatment its own team offers, can be genuinely valuable.
A liver cancer diagnosis deserves evaluation by someone who can consider both surgical and transplant options, not just one or the other.
