Liver Cancer Survival Rates

After the treatment, the cancer can relapse. A second tumor often develops in the modified tissue remaining after the operation. Nearly half of patients who were operated for a small –size tumor survive five years after the surgery.  

 Your chances of surviving depend largely on the stage of the tumor at diagnosis, your lifestyle and age. The stage distribution based on Summary Stage 2000 shows that: 

·         37% of liver and intrahepatic bile duct cancer cases are diagnosed while the cancer is still confined to the primary site (localized stage);  

·         26% are diagnosed after the cancer has spread to regional lymph nodes or directly beyond the primary site;  

·         19% are diagnosed after the cancer has already metastasized (distant stage) and for the remaining 18% the staging information was unknown.  

The corresponding 5-year relative survival rates were:  

• 25.7% for localized;  
• 8.5% for regional;  
• 2.4% for distant;  
• 5.8% for unstaged. 

However, the survival rate tends to differ from one race to another. The overall 5-year relative survival rate for 1999-2005 was 13.1%. Five-year relative survival rates by race and sex were:  

• 12.4% for white men;  
• 13.6% for white women;  
• 8.3% for black men;  
• 10.0% for black women.

                        Treatment                                                 Prevention