Primary Hepatic Carcinoma Follow-up

  • Author: Keith E Stuart, MD; Chief Editor: Jules E Harris, MD   more...
 
Updated: May 14, 2012
 

Further Outpatient Care

Monitor the progression of disease or adequacy of treatment with imaging studies every 2-3 months and LFTs and AFP monthly or as appropriate for the stage of disease and patient's performance status. These interventions, however, have little or no impact on prognosis for survival and therefore should be performed in accordance with the patient's functional status.

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Deterrence/Prevention

Patients should avoid alcohol and other hepatic toxins because prognosis is related to worsening cirrhosis and tumor stage.

Interestingly, the consumption of fish and fish-associated fatty acids is associated in a dose-dependent fashion with a lower risk of the development of HCC, regardless of hepatitis status.[49]

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Complications

Symptoms of hepatic failure may signify tumor recurrence and/or progression.

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Prognosis

The influence of diabetes, obesity, and glycemic control continues to be evaluated in studies of the etiology and outcomes of HCC. For instance, one analysis of resected patients showed less than half the recurrence rate in patients who had normal hemoglobin A1c (27% vs 66%).[50]

Overall prognosis for survival depends on the extent of cirrhosis and tumor stage, which then determine the appropriate treatment. Patients able to undergo a curative resection have a median survival of as long as 4 years; patients who present when they are too ill to be treated have a median survival of 3 months.[51]

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Patient Education

For patient education resources, see the Hepatitis Center and Liver, Gallbladder, and Pancreas Center, as well as Cirrhosis, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and Liver Transplant.

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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Keith E Stuart, MD  Chairman, Department of Hematology and Oncology, Lahey Clinic

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Zsofia K Stadler, MD  Clinical Fellow, Department of Hematology and Oncology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Antoni Ribas, MD  Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, University of California at Los Angeles Medical Center

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD  Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Medscape Salary Employment

Rajalaxmi McKenna, MD, FACP  Southwest Medical Consultants, SC, Department of Medicine, Good Samaritan Hospital, Advocate Health Systems

Rajalaxmi McKenna, MD, FACP is a member of the following medical societies: American Society of Clinical Oncology, American Society of Hematology, and International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Jules E Harris, MD  Clinical Professor of Medicine, Section of Hematology/Oncology, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Arizona Cancer Center

Jules E Harris, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Association for Cancer Research, American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Association of Immunologists, American Society of Hematology, and Central Society for Clinical Research

Disclosure: GlobeImmune Salary Consulting

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