Angiosarcoma of the liver is the most frequently found mesenchymal connective tissue malignancy in the liver yet it is still very rare. The rapid proliferation of cancer cells makes it a very aggressive tumor.
The liver works to detoxify the blood so it may pick up dangerous toxins. These toxins may act on the genetic level of the cells. The damage may take years to show symptoms. In the process it may have spread these defective cells to other parts of the liver or through the blood system to other parts of the body. The tumor, in some cases, is multicentric with both lobes of the liver involved.
Some of the symptoms of angiosarcoma of the liver are listed below:
*A yellowish discoloration of the skin, known as jaundice
*Reduced appetite
*Loss of weight
*Loss of energy
*Pain felt anywhere between your chest and groin (abdominal area)
*Nauseous stomach and vomiting
*Liver enlargement
Other symptoms may also include signs of an enlarged spleen and bleeding in the peritoneal cavity. There is also a presence of fluids inside the abdominal cavity.
Treatment by liver transplant or re-sective liver surgery is not usually possible for angiosarcoma of the liver. This is due to the multi-focal nature of the tumor and the tendency it has to metastasize.
This form of cancer is not very common so treatment by chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy is very difficult to assess. Although remarkable decrease in the size of tumor is present, which somewhat improved liver function and increased the survival by several months.
The development of angiosarcoma of the liver is often associated with past exposure to such toxins as arsenic, thorium dioxide and vinyl chloride.
For successful treatment, early detection of the tumor – which may take several years to develop – is critical.
Diagnosing the cancer may use images techniques (like CT, MRI, and ultrasonography) and AFP (Alpha-Fetoprotein) measurement.