Treating liver cancer involves a coordinated effort among various medical specialists and healthcare professionals who collaborate to provide comprehensive care tailored to each patient’s needs. Here’s a breakdown of the key doctors and departments involved in the treatment of liver cancer:

1. Hepatologist: Hepatologists are specialists in liver diseases and play a crucial role in the management of liver cancer. They oversee the medical aspects of treatment, including diagnosis, monitoring disease progression, and coordinating with other specialists to develop a comprehensive treatment plan.

2. Medical Oncologist: Medical oncologists specialise in the treatment of cancer using chemotherapy, targeted therapies, and immunotherapy. They evaluate patients with liver cancer to determine the most appropriate systemic treatments based on the type of cancer, its stage, and the patient’s overall health.

3. Surgical Oncologist: Surgical oncologists specialise in performing surgical procedures to treat cancer. For liver cancer, surgical oncologists may perform liver resection (removing part of the liver affected by cancer), liver transplantation (replacing the entire liver with a healthy donor organ), or palliative surgeries to alleviate symptoms.

4. Interventional Radiologist: Interventional radiologists use imaging techniques such as ultrasound, CT scans, and MRI to guide minimally invasive procedures to treat liver cancer. Techniques include radiofrequency ablation (RFA), microwave ablation (MWA), transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), and radioembolization (Yttrium-90), which deliver treatments directly to liver tumours while sparing healthy tissue.

5. Radiation Oncologist: Radiation oncologists specialise in using radiation therapy to target and shrink tumours. They may utilise techniques such as external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) or stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) to deliver precise doses of radiation to liver tumours while minimising damage to surrounding healthy tissue.

6. Transplant Surgeon: Transplant surgeons specialise in performing liver transplant surgeries for patients with liver cancer that meets specific criteria for transplantation. They evaluate patients for transplant candidacy, coordinate donor organ procurement, and perform the surgical procedure to replace the diseased liver with a healthy donor liver.