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What Are The Survival Chances For Liver Cancer With Hepatitis B And Diabetes?

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Posted on Thu, 19 Apr 2012
Question: My brother was diagnosed with liver cancer this morning. He also has hepatitis B and is diabetic. He is in ICU. The doctor says the cancer is widely spread and his condition is critical. Can liver cancer spread so silently and be noticed at the critical stage. I don't understand. What are his options?
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Follow up: Dr. Raju A.T (13 minutes later)
What are the survival chances for liver cancer? Is he going to die?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Raju A.T (22 hours later)
Hi XXXXXXX

Thanks for your query,

Yes, Liver cancers can spread without producing any symptoms unless there is derangement in its function due to damage in its struture or due to secondary effects of the cancer like tumoor degenaration and tumor secretions.

The Prognosis of the condition can be explained well based on the tumor stage, cirrhosis, and also its extent of spread. Staging is done by various tests. Medical literature says "Patients able to undergo a curative resection have a median survival of as long as 4 years; patients who present when they are too ill to be treated have a median survival of 3 months.

Hope I have answered your query. If you have any follow up queries I will be available to answer them
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Raju A.T (1 hour later)
Thank you for your reply.
The doctors have decided to run more tests so as to be sure about the cancer. The progress he has made is that his skin is no longer yellow and only the eyes and tongue are yellow. Is this a good sign? What does it mean? How long will he be in ICU?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Raju A.T (34 minutes later)
Hi again,

Thanks for following up,

The yellowish discoloration he has now is due to raised Bilirubin ( waste product from dead blood ) levels. Yes , the progress he has made is a good sign , but it should be constant to decide about his overall health condition and chances of survival. The bilirubin levels in such cases are highly variable hence monitored every day.

The duration of his stay in the ICU can be determined by his lab parameters, and his wellbeing determined on examination.

The reports of the lab work up will be very helpful to me here to provide you idea about prognosis.

Wish him good health,
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Raju A.T (12 hours later)
Hi,
The doctors have now confirmed that he does not have liver cancer but hepetitis B. What are the implications? His condition is no longer critical, he is stable but still in ICU.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Raju A.T (9 hours later)
Hi,

Good to hear that the cancer has been ruled out.

Well Hepatitis B always presents as a acute infection with liver damage resulting in symptoms like jaundice, Metabolic derangement, fever , fatigue etc rarely needing ICU care.

I still stick to the fact that the duration of his stay in the ICU can be determined by his lab parameters, and his wellbeing determined on examination.

Well the complication of hepatitis B is what you have to be aware of , as the acute presentation of the infection do not stay for long and may not be serious in most of cases.The expected complications of the infection are Scarring of the liver (cirrhosis),Liver failure,Hepatitis D infection,Liver cancer,Kidney problems,Blood vessel inflammation (vasculitis),Portal Hypertension,Splenomegaly etc

Get him regularly examined to a doctor to rule out the above complication for a minimum of two years from now.

Wish him Good Health.

Note: For further follow up on digestive issues share your reports here and Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Raju A.T

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :2008

Answered : 4927 Questions

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What Are The Survival Chances For Liver Cancer With Hepatitis B And Diabetes?

What are the survival chances for liver cancer? Is he going to die?