Liver Cancer

Why choose UCLA Health for liver cancer care?

The UCLA Health Gastrointestinal Oncology Program delivers care through the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center(Link is external) (JCCC). The JCCC has over 500 scientists and physicians who conduct cancer research and provide state-of-the-art cancer care.

Our team of liver cancer specialists works together to determine the best care for you. UCLA Health patients receive:

Access to next-generation liver cancer treatment and therapies: A world leader in gastrointestinal clinical research, UCLA Health offers patients access to clinical trials and the latest experimental therapies.

Comprehensive, team-based approach: At UCLA Health, our liver cancer experts including hepatologists, gastroenterologists and oncologists review, plan and manage your care.

Convenient, community-based care: Once a liver cancer care plan is put in place, patients can receive ongoing treatment at one of our many community cancer clinics across the greater Los Angeles area.

Our services

We care for you from your liver cancer diagnosis to treatment and beyond. Our comprehensive liver cancer services include:

Diagnosis

To get an accurate liver cancer diagnosis your care team may order one or more of the following tests, depending on your symptoms:

Blood tests: A group of lab tests that check your liver function.

Advanced imaging: Provides clear images of your liver and surrounding organs. Your specialist may order an ultrasound, CT scan or MRI scan.

Angiography: An imaging test that uses a special dye to look at the blood vessels in the liver. X-rays capture images of the blood vessels to show a tumor's location and size. Doctors use this information to determine the stage of cancer.

Liver biopsy: A tissue sample of a tumor to check for signs of damage or disease, including cancer.  

Cancer genetics

Our genetic counselors and oncologists work together to determine the cause of liver cancer and evaluate your risk of future disease. Using this information, we help you make important decisions about your health. Learn more about the cancer genetics program at UCLA Health. 

Cancer support

When you or a loved one has cancer, it helps to find a supportive community you can lean on. The Simms/Mann- UCLA Center for Integrative Oncology(Link is external) (Link opens in new window) offers numerous resources such as counseling, spiritual support and workshops in meditation, nutrition and more.

Liver cancers we treat

Primary liver cancer begins in the liver, an organ responsible for digestion and cleansing toxins from the body. We treat all types of liver cancer, including:

Angiosarcoma: A rare cancer that begins in the liver's blood vessels.

Cholangiocarcinoma: A slow-growing cancer that originates in the liver lining or in the bile ducts.

Hepatoblastoma: A rare infant and childhood cancer. It typically occurs in children younger than five years old and can cause early puberty in older children.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (hepatoma): The most common form of liver cancer. Hepatocellular carcinoma can result from cirrhosis, or scarring, of the liver.

Metastatic liver cancer: A cancer that originates somewhere else in the body and spreads to the liver.

Treatments we offer

Our team of experts offers the most advanced liver cancer treatments, imaging, and surgery. Liver cancer treatments may include:

Nonsurgical liver cancer treatments

Sometimes liver cancer can't be treated with surgery. In those cases, our specialists may use one or more nonsurgical treatments:

Chemotherapy: A treatment that uses powerful drugs to kill liver cancer cells. Chemotherapy may also be used to shrink tumors before surgery or to kill remaining cancer cells after surgery.

Radiation therapy: The use of high-energy beams to precisely target and kill cancerous tissues.

Targeted therapy: Medications that can stop cancerous liver cells from growing without harming healthy cells.

Embolization: A procedure that blocks blood supply to the tumor to keep it from growing. Either chemotherapy drugs or radioactive particles are injected directly into an artery in the liver. 

Ablation therapy: A minimally invasive procedure that uses heat to destroy liver tumors.

Clinical trials: Research studies to find promising therapies for liver cancer.

Liver cancer surgery

Surgery is the first-line liver cancer treatment for certain types. Procedures include:

Hepatectomy: A procedure to remove part or all of the liver.

Liver transplantation: Surgery to remove the damaged liver and transplant a healthy donor liver.

Meet our team

Our team of liver cancer specialists includes gastroenterologists, hepatologists, interventional radiologists and oncologists. We collaborate to develop a liver cancer treatment plan that's right for you.