Dr. Keith E. Stuart is a medical oncologist specializing in the study and treatment of cancers involving the gastrointestinal tract, with a special interest in tumors involving the liver. He was educated at Harvard University (graduating magna cum laude) and Albert Einstein College of Medicine and did his medical training at the New England Deaconess Hospital.
Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.
There are different types of treatment for patients with adult primary liver cancer.
Different types of treatments are available for patients with adult primary
liver cancer. Some treatments are standard (the currently used treatment), and some are being tested in clinical trials. A treatment clinical trial is a research study meant to help improve current treatments or obtain information on new treatments for patients with cancer. When clinical trials show that a new treatment is better than the standard treatment, the new treatment may become the standard treatment. Patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial. Some clinical trials are open only to patients who have not started treatment.
The liver is a large organ located in the upper right side of the abdomen,
mostly underneath the ribs. It plays a very important role in maintaining the
body's overall health. Most of the blood leaving the intestines travels through
the liver, where it is filtered of both toxic chemicals and bacteria. The liver
uses nutrients in the blood to provide energy for the body by storing and
releasing sugars. It is also the main source of proteins necessary for many
bodily activities such as normal blood clotting, growth, and nutrition. In
addition, the liver creates bile, a fluid that is important for digestion. It is
made by liver cells called hepatocytes and is then carried in tubes (the bile
ducts) directly into the intestine or to the gallbladder, where it is stored
until we eat. When these tubes are blocked for some reason, the bile backs up
into the bloodstream, causing a yellow tinge to the eyes, mouth, and skin, and
darkening of the urine; this is called jaundice.
What Is Liver Cancer?
Usually, when people speak of liver cancer, they mean a cancer that has begun
somewhere else in the body and then spread to the liver. This is called
metastatic disease or metastases. Due partly to its very high blood flow and
local production of growth-enhancing molecules, the liver is one of the most
common places for metastases to take root. Tumors that originally arise in the
colon, pancreas, stomach, lung, breast, or elsewhere can spread to the liver,
sometimes causing pain or damaging liver function. In the Western Hemisphere,
most cases of liver cancer actually are cancers that started in another organ.
Sometimes, cancer may arise in the cells of the liver itself. Cancer of the
hepatocytes (the main functioning liver cell) is a primary liver cancer called
hepatocellular carcinoma or hepatoma. Hepatoma usually grows in the liver as one
or more round tumors, invading and destroying the normal tissue as it expands.
Cancer of the bile duct cells is called cholangiocarcinoma. Cholangiocarcinoma
generally grows along the bile ducts in sheets or finger-like lines, making it
harder to identify on X-ray studies.
The foods we eat every day contribute to our well-being. Foods provide us with the nutrients we need for healthy bodies and the calories we need for energy. If we eat too much, however, the extra food turns to fat and is stored in our bodies. If we overeat regularly, we gain weight, and if we continue to gain weight, we may become obese.
Obesity means accumulation of excess fat on the body. Obesity is considered a chronic (long-term) disease, like high blood pressure or diabetes. It has many serious long-term consequences for your health, and it is the second leading cause of preventable deaths in the United States (tobacco is the first). Obesity is defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of greater than 30. The BMI is a measure of your weight relative to your height. See eMedicine's Body Mass Index Calculator.
Obesity is an epidemic in the United States and in other developed countries. More than half of Americans are overweight-including at le...
