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Jorge Marrero, M.D., Director of the Multidisciplinary Liver Tumor Clinic, explains what patients who come to the clinic can expect.

Liver aka Adenocarcinoma Cancer

There is hope, innovation and support available for those with liver cancer here at the U-M Comprehensive Cancer Center.


Patient Care and Treatment:
Since its inception in 1985, more than 1,610 patients have undergone liver transplantation at the University of Michigan Liver Tumor Clinic. All members of the team, including nurses, coordinators, clerks and social workers have advanced training and expertise in liver disease and liver transplantation.

We also offer an artificial liver therapy available at only a few hospitals in the world. This treatment, called albumin dialysis, consists of removing circulating toxins from the body using a dialysis machine. The therapy is currently reserved for patients with severe liver failure that may have only a few days to live.

Liver cancer -- sometimes called adenocarcinoma -- can either be primary or secondary. There are two types of primary liver cancer:
Hepatoma - often associated with cirrhosis and hepatitis B or C infections and cholangiocarcinoma, a rare tumor developing in bile duct cells.

Secondary liver cancer happpens when a cancer that started somewhere else in the body spreads to the liver.

Learn more on the Adult Primary Liver Cancer Treatment web pages, part of the UofMHealth.org website.

Research and innovation:
Our multidisciplinary program developed the radiological (imaging) criteria to more accurately diagnose primary (where the tumor originated) liver tumors. In fact, we have the largest funded research program in primary liver tumors in the U.S. and are worldwide pioneers in the radiation therapy for primary liver tumors.

Support:
We're sensitive to the anxiety people with liver cancer experience, so counseling and emotional support are integral parts of the liver tumors program. Our patients have access to Patient/Family Support Services. To fully understand what this means, please take time to visit the For Cancer Center Patients area of this website. We outline the services available to our patients at every point in their care, including survivorship.

Make an appointment/referral

To make a first time appointment, please call 1-877-308-9111 (Monday-Friday, 8am-5:30pm EST). If you would like to refer a patient, please contact our M-Line service: 800-962-3555. For more information, visit our Appointments web page.

Still have questions?

The nurses at Cancer AnswerLine™ have answers. Call 1-800-865-1125 and you'll get a personal response from one of our registered nurses, who have years of experience in caring for people with cancer.

 

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updated 3/2011

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