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| You are here: Care Centers > Organ Transplantation > Liver |
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Liver Introduction | Disease Progression/Prognosis | Treatment Options | Liver Issue: Cirrhosis | Alcohol: Can it hurt my Liver? | Videos Patients accepted as liver transplant candidates are listed with Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates (KODA), as well as nationally, with the United Network of Organ Sharing (UNOS). Our Liver Transplant Team includes transplant surgeons, hepatologists, transplant coordinators, psychiatrists, social workers, nutritionists, financial coordinators, medical consultants and administrators who work closely with the operating room, critical care and medical-surgical units at Jewish Hospital. In association with the University of Louisville Digestive Health Center, the Jewish Hospital Transplant Center serves as a regional referral center for transplantation of the liver, kidney, heart, lung and pancreas. For more information on the Digestive Health Center, contact: University of Louisville Digestive Health Center Contact the Transplant Center via email or for transplant referral information, call 1-800-866-7539 and follow the organ-specific telephone prompts. What is my Liver? The liver is found in the upper right quadrant of the body. It holds approximately 13 percent of the body's blood supply at any one time. The liver acts as a giant filter for multiple toxins in the body. The blood comes from two distinct sources: the hepatic artery and the portal vein. The majority of oxygen-rich blood flows from the hepatic artery, while the majority of oxygen and nutrients come through the portal vein. The liver is made of a large complex of crisscrossing blood vessels and filters called the sinusoids. Once blood is filtered and poured into main central veins, the blood exits the liver through the hepatic veins directly to the inferior vena cava and passes that blood on for your heart to use.
What does my liver do?
Types of Liver Tumors Tumors (masses of the liver) are broadly classified into three types:
Primary Liver Cancer Defined as cancer that forms in the tissues of the liver. Primary Liver Cancer includes:
Incidence Primary liver cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide, with about one million cases reported each year. The overwhelming majority of primary cancer is in males. Today, about 15,000 cases are reported in the United States each year. This number is as high as 250,000 a year in the Eastern Hemisphere. In the past, once diagnosed, less than one patient out of 10 was a candidate for surgery. Unfortunately, minority patients also appear to have the poorest survival. Despite these facts, the Abdominal Transplant Team at Jewish Hospital has developed innovative strategies to offer more than 90 percent of our patients some therapeutic option from band-aid surgery to transplantation. Causes of Primary Liver Cancer In the United States, primary liver cancer (Hepatocellular Carcinoma or HCC) is associated with liver disease or cirrhosis more than 90 percent of the time. The greatest risk of HCC is associated with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), liver disease from obesity, cryptogenic cirrhosis (disease from an unknown source) and chronic Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C. Most recently, one major cause of cryptogenic cirrhosis is NASH, which develops in morbidly obese patients and is often associated with a diabetic gene. Recently, the National Institute of Health (NIH) recognized the worldwide epidemic of Hepatitis C, which is expected to reach its peak incidence by 2016. At this rate, there is a 0.05 percent chance of a new HCC developing each year. Subsequently, this will lead to a dramatic rise in the incidence of HCC—which does not take into account the overwhelming occurrence of obesity in America and the potential epidemic of NASH. Furthermore, HCC will develop in up to 30 percent of patients with hereditary hemochromatosis, a disorder that causes the body to accumulate excessive amounts of iron. Patients at the greatest risk are those who develop cirrhosis with their hemochromatosis. Unfortunately, once cirrhosis is established, effective removal of excess iron (the treatment for hemochromatosis) will not reduce the risk of developing HCC. Several toxins have been linked to HCC. These natural cancer-causing agents include aflatoxin B which is commonly found in grains stored under hot, humid conditions and consumption of plants, fungi and bacteria. A variation of primary cancer: What is fibrolamellar carcinoma? Fibrolamellar carcinoma is a variation of primary liver cancer (Hepatocellular Carcinoma or HCC) that is found in non-cirrhotic livers—usually in younger patients between the ages of 20 and 40 years old. These patients often have no associated liver disease or risk factors. Patients diagnosed with this variant have a much better prognosis than the most common type of HCC. Symptoms Abdominal pain is the most frequently cited symptom of primary liver cancer. While severe in some instances, the pain is more likely to be a persistent dull ache, which intensifies in later stages. The other two most common, universal symptoms are weakness and weight loss, although symptoms vary in different parts of the world. Other symptoms that result from HCC include loss of appetite, indigestion, constipation and the development of an abdominal mass. Diagnosing Primary Liver Cancer Primary liver cancer is identified through radiological studies, including ultrasound, computed tomography (CT) scans or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Who should be screened for primary liver cancer?
How are patients screened? There are various ways of screening for primary liver cancer, available at Jewish Hospital & St. Mary’s HealthCare facilities. Computed Tomography (CT) Offered at the following locations:
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Offered at the following locations:
Ultrasound Offered at the following locations:
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