According to the latest statistics, my country has become a veritable liver cancer country. In 2019, more than half of the world’s liver cancer cases occurred in China, and 80% were diagnosed as advanced. At present, for early and mid-stage liver cancer surgery, the 5-year survival rate of patients can reach more than 50%, but the 5-year recurrence rate is still about 60%, which means that a large number of patients have a very high chance of recurrence after surgery. Big. Therefore, after undergoing liver cancer surgery, patients must pay attention to some problems in order to effectively prevent liver cancer recurrence.
High recurrence rate after liver cancer surgery
It has been clinically found that compared with other tumors such as breast cancer and lung cancer, the recurrence rate of liver cancer is relatively high. Generally, the recurrence rate after 3 years is about 40% to 50%, and the recurrence rate after 5 years is as high as 60 %～70%. Moreover, the recurring liver cancer lesions often show the characteristics of multiple sites and multiple liver segments: one situation is that the tumor has invaded the small blood vessels and capillaries of the liver before surgery. Even if the visible tumor is removed by surgery, the small blood vessels and capillaries are Cancer cells will still form recurrent lumps in multiple locations; another situation is that the patient is infected with hepatitis B or carries the hepatitis C virus, or liver cancer is also combined with liver cirrhosis. In addition to visible lumps, there are many hidden in the liver. Micro-lesions that are difficult to find, and surgery cannot remove these micro-lesions, they naturally become hidden time bombs.
Do 4 points to prevent recurrence
Since there is still a high risk of recurrence after liver cancer surgery, patients should not think that surgical removal of the tumor will be all right, and they must pay more attention to their health.
Regular experience: After liver cancer surgery, if you can follow up regularly, you can find recurring cancer lesions in the early stage. The earlier you find the lesion, the smaller the lesion, the simpler the treatment, and the better the effect. Therefore, the scientific follow-up after liver cancer surgery is an important measure to improve the efficacy of liver cancer, and it is also an important part of the comprehensive treatment of liver cancer. Usually, within half a year after the operation, patients should review liver function and alpha-fetoprotein monthly, and review abdominal B-ultrasound at the same time; review enhanced CT or magnetic resonance every 2 to 3 months. After half a year, if there is no obvious abnormality, the frequency of reexamination can be extended appropriately. Within 2 years after the operation, the patient should review blood indexes and abdominal ultrasound every 2 to 3 months, and liver CT or MRI every 4 to 6 months; patients with hepatitis B need to be added according to the virus replication status Hepatitis B DNA quantification. After 2 years, the re-examination frequency can be adjusted according to the actual situation.
Positive attitude: The effect of liver cancer treatment depends not only on the level of medical institutions and doctors, but more often, the patients themselves are in control of their own destiny and length of life. Therefore, patients should maintain an optimistic spirit and face life positively after surgery. Clinically, there are countless cases of survival time of more than 20 years after surgical treatment. Therefore, patients with liver cancer must maintain sufficient confidence, relax their mood, and take some appropriate exercises every day to allow the body to get effective exercise and relaxation. .
Healthy diet: After liver cancer surgery, in addition to the need for treatment, the patient does not need to be taboo, so as to avoid malnutrition and cannot provide protection for subsequent treatment. Patients should eat more protein-rich foods and fresh fruits and vegetables, and avoid unhealthy foods such as pickled, moldy, etc., which are very harmful to health.
Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment: After half a month to one month after the operation, the patient should actively accept the combination of Chinese and Western medicine for follow-up treatment. The main advantages of Chinese medicine adjuvant treatment are to reduce the side effects caused by western medicine treatment, enhance the curative effect, improve the quality of life, and prolong survival.
It can be treated like this after recurrence
Don’t be afraid of recurrence after liver cancer surgery. In addition to the well-known radiotherapy and chemotherapy, there are still many clinical treatments.
Re-surgical resection: Surgery can treat recurring tumors, but because there are often many liver cancers after recurrence, it is difficult to remove a large area of the liver after re-surgery, and it is also difficult to remove cleanly. In addition, the patient has had a previous operation, and re-operation must be considered. The body’s tolerance.
Hepatic artery embolization: This method is to insert a tube from the femoral artery of the lower extremity or the radial artery of the upper extremity to the liver, block the arteries that feed the tumor, and the tumor will undergo avascular necrosis.
Physical ablation: including radiofrequency ablation and microwave ablation, it is also guided by B-ultrasound or CT, through the heat generation effect of the puncture needle, to kill tumor cells.