Radiotherapy for liver cancer

Radiotherapy is not often used to treat liver cancer as radiation can damage the part of the liver that is not affected by the cancer. It may be used to treat bile duct cancer (cholangiocarcinoma), but is not usually used for hepatocellular liver cancers. However, some people may benefit from low doses of radiotherapy to shrink a large cancer and relieve pressure that is causing pain. Radiotherapy to the liver may also help control sickness.

Radiotherapy uses high energy rays similar to X-rays to kill cancer cells. There are lots of different types of radiation (energy from the sun is one type). Radiotherapy uses a type of ionising radiation, which kills cells by damaging their DNA. Cancer cells are more sensitive to ionising radiation than normal cells.

You have radiotherapy treatment in the hospital radiotherapy department. For primary liver cancer, you are likely to have a small number of treatments. You may have one treatment a day for a few days. Or a few treatments with a few days break between each.

Radiotherapy is carefully planned. At your first visit you will lie under a CT scanner or a large machine called a simulator to have scans of your liver.

The doctor uses the scan to work out where to give your treatment to kill the most cancer cells and miss as much healthy body tissue as possible. A pinprick tattoo is made on your skin and this is used to line up the radiotherapy machine every day when you have your treatment. Sometimes more marks are made with a felt pen. If so, you must be careful not to wash them off. They will fade, but don't be tempted to draw them again yourself. Your radiographer will ink them in again if necessary.

The actual treatment only takes a few minutes. The radiographer will help position you on the couch and make sure you are comfortable.

You will be left alone for the minute or two the machine is switched on. But the staff will be able to hear you through an intercom, so call if you need them. The treatment does not hurt. You will not be able to feel it at all. You must lie very still for the few minutes it takes to treat you.

Having external radiotherapy does not make you radioactive. It is perfectly safe to be with other people, including children, throughout your treatment course.

You are most likely to be have radiotherapy to help control symptoms, and the dose is low for this. So you are unlikely to have too many side effects. 

Radiotherapy often causes tiredness. This usually increases towards the end of a course of treatment. You may continue to feel more tired than usual for a few days or weeks after you finish treatment.

The liver is very near the stomach and bowel, so radiotherapy to this part of the body can cause sickness or diarrhoea. Your doctor will give you medication to help with both these side effects.

There is more about the side effects of radiotherapy in the main radiotherapy section of CancerHelp UK.

Look at the main radiotherapy section in CancerHelp UK. It tells you more about this type of treatment including

• What radiotherapy is
• How your radiotherapy treatment is planned
• Possible side effects