Liver Cancer

The liver, a large organ that helps digest food and store energy, also removes toxins from the body. When the liver can’t do its job, chemicals build up and cause damage, including the abnormal cell growth associated with cancer.

That’s why you want to talk with the liver cancer specialists at OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center in Oklahoma City.

Comprehensive Care for Liver Cancer

When you get cancer care at Stephenson Cancer Center, Oklahoma’s only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-Designated Cancer Center, you’ll collaborate with a nationally renowned, multidisciplinary team of liver cancer experts who treat more people with gastrointestinal cancers than any other medical center in Oklahoma. With the help of your team, you benefit from accurate diagnosis, innovative treatment and effective management for all stages of liver cancer.

You and your cancer doctor work with other highly trained oncologists, cancer surgeons and knowledgeable cancer specialists to develop a treatment plan tailored to your specific situation. You also benefit from advanced imaging technology to support early diagnosis that helps identify and treat your condition as early as possible.

Liver Cancer Services & Treatments

With evidence-based treatments and innovative symptom management procedures available to address your particular condition, you and your Stephenson Cancer Center care team can take advantage a variety of liver cancer services, including specialized surgery, which can remove a tumor in part of an otherwise healthy liver through partial hepatectomy.

Because your body requires a functioning liver, replacing the entire organ means transplant with a donor organ. Even then, replacement only works for tumors smaller than five centimeters in diameter. While liver removal and transplant greatly reduce the risk of cancer returning, other treatment methods can help slow tumor growth. Options available to you and your Stephenson Cancer Center care team include:

• Ablative therapy – Using extreme heat or cold to destroy a tumor instead of removing it
• Chemotherapy – Medical therapies to inhibit cell growth
• Radiation therapy – Targeted treatment aimed at shrinking the tumor

Cancer Navigation Services

Throughout your journey at Stephenson Cancer Center, your care team includes a nurse navigator, a specially trained registered nurse (RN) who acts as your personal advocate and adds an extra layer of support. Learn more about cancer navigation services.

Supportive Care Services

You also gain access to extensive supportive care services, such as genetic counseling, nutritional therapy, support groups, palliative care, cancer education workshops, and symptom and pain management. And you’ll find all your cancer-related services in a bright, welcoming, up-to-date facility close to home and designed for your comfort and convenience.

Clinical Trials for Advanced Treatment

In Stephenson Cancer Center’s comprehensive program, you also may qualify to participate in cancer clinical trials as part of the National Cancer Institute’s National Clinical Trials Network (NCTN), giving you early access to today’s newest drugs and potential breakthrough treatments before they become widely available.

Your Liver Cancer Care Team

At Stephenson Cancer Center, you join a team of highly experienced liver cancer experts who collaborate with a variety of medical specialists, including medical oncologists, cancer surgeons, radiation oncologists and gastroenterologists. Even before your first appointment, your team of more than 30 physicians conducts a thorough review and evaluation of your medical history and current health concerns as they work together to develop an accurate diagnosis and an individualized treatment plan for your particular condition.