Prognosis for Liver Cancer

The prognosis for hepatocellular carcinoma depends on the stage of the tumour at the time of diagnosis and the success of the different therapeutic options implemented.  

When the cancer is diagnosed in an early stage, when treatments with curative intention such as surgical resection, a liver transplant or percutaneous ablation are still possible, the disease can be cured and the 5year survival rate can exceed 70%.  

In patients at an intermediate stage, transarterial chemoembolisation (TACE) offers an average survival of 2.5–3 years, especially in those with a good treatment response.  

Patients in an advanced stage can expect an average survival of 12–15 months, although the prognosis can vary greatly between patients depending on certain clinical parameters of progression.  

Lastly, patients with end-stage liver cancer have a poor prognosis and treatment focuses on alleviating their symptoms.