Systemic Chemotherapy

Under certain circumstances it may be appropriate to deliver chemotherapy to the whole body administering it either by mouth or by vein. Systemic chemotherapy may used in three situations:

• When the cancer is known to have spread to sites outside of the liver
• After liver transplant if the risk of recurrence is high
• Experimental studies testing new agents or already approved drugs which have not been tested in liver cancer

Chemotherapy in liver cancer has not yet enjoyed the same degree of success as it has had against some other cancers. But it does help some patients. At Norris/USC we offer chemotherapy for liver cancer after a careful discussion of risks and possible benefits.