Hepatobiliary Cancer

Hepatobiliary cancer is a term used to describe cancers of the liver and gallbladder. The gallbladder and liver play essential roles in digestion and metabolism. Some patients might require surgery, chemotherapy, targeted therapies, or a combination of all three.

At Verita Life, we design our integrative support to compliment any other cancer treatments you might be undergoing. We help patients to manage side effects, maintain strength, and support your overall wellbeing throughout your cancer journey.

Liver and bile duct cancers often cause no symptoms early on, and their symptoms overlap with those of liver disease. They can include:

• Jaundice, a yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes
• Dark urine, or pale stools
• Itching
• Pain or swelling in the upper right abdomen, or pain near the right shoulder blade
• Weight loss for no known reason, or loss of appetite
• Fatigue, or fever
• A hard lump below the ribs on the right side

People with cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis are usually offered regular ultrasound checks, because liver cancer found early is far easier to treat.

Liver cancer is staged by the size and number of tumours, whether they have grown into blood vessels, and whether the cancer has spread, together with how well the liver is still working and how well you are overall. The Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) system combines these into stages from very early to advanced and is used to guide treatment.

Bile duct and gallbladder cancers are staged from I to IV by depth, spread to lymph nodes, and distant spread, and are also described simply as resectable or unresectable.

Treatment depends on the type, the stage, how well the liver is working, and your overall health. A liver specialist team plans it, and treating the underlying liver disease matters as much as treating the cancer. Verita Life does not replace this care. Our therapies are designed to support it.

Surgery

Removal of the part of the liver, bile duct, or gallbladder containing the cancer, possible when the cancer is confined and the remaining liver is healthy enough.

Liver transplant

Replacement of the whole liver with a donated one, an option for some small liver cancers in a damaged liver.

Ablation

Heat, microwaves, or cold applied through a needle to destroy small tumours without surgery.

Embolisation

Blocking the blood supply to the tumour through a catheter, sometimes with chemotherapy or radioactive beads (TACE or TARE), for cancer confined to the liver.

Radiation therapy

Focused high-energy beams for tumours that cannot be removed or ablated.

Immunotherapy, targeted therapy, and chemotherapy

Medicines for advanced disease: immunotherapy combinations are now standard for advanced liver cancer, and chemotherapy with immunotherapy or targeted drugs for bile duct cancer.

Biliary drainage

A stent or drain to relieve a blocked bile duct and the jaundice and itching it causes.

A coordinated approach to hepatobiliary cancer support

Our medical team is committed to careful planning, ongoing evaluation, and coordinated care that complements traditional cancer treatments.

Why patients choose Verita Life for hepatobiliary cancer support

• World-class cancer care standards: Our clinics operate following international cancer care protocols.
• International team of experts: Our team is made up of some of the best oncology experts in the world.
• Tailored care plans: Plans built around you and your individual case, rather than a blanket approach to care.
• Ongoing support: Guidance, reassurance, and ongoing support at every step of your journey.

Treatment for hepatobiliary cancer at Verita Life

Verita Life’s integrative hepatobiliary cancer treatments incorporate medically-backed traditional therapies with holistic therapies designed to complement conventional care. Our hepatobiliary cancer treatments include:

Metronomic Therapy

Metronomic chemotherapy is an approach to cancer treatment in which chemotherapy is given at a lower dose, but more frequently and with shorter or no extended breaks between treatments.

Metabolic Treatment

Metabolic approaches investigate how cancer cells obtain and use energy and nutrients. Cancer cells behave very differently to healthy cells, often heavily relying on glucose and alter their metabolic pathways in order to grow more rapidly than healthy cells. This is a broad area of research, not a single established treatment or diet and at Verita Life we use metabolic approaches within our wider, personalised treatment plans.

Local Body Hyperthermia

Local body hyperthermia is a type of integrative therapy designed to work alongside both integrative oncology care and conventional cancer treatments. Local body hyperthermia is a targeted heat-based therapy that delivers controlled heat to specific areas of the body.

IPT & Low-Dose Chemotherapy

Insulin potentiation therapy, or IPT, uses insulin alongside lower doses of chemotherapy as part of an integrative cancer treatment approach.

Herbal Cancer Therapy

Following years of research, our medical team have developed specific herbal treatment protocols to address varying types of tumours. We use proven compounds that stem from all natural herbal ingredients such as curcumin, quercetin and other anti-cancer therapies.

Biological Treatment

Biological treatments are supportive regimens that can sometimes fall under immunotherapy due to their nature, and work by harnessing the body's natural immune system or targeting precise molecular pathways involved in cancer growth.

Natural Killer Cell Therapy

Natural Killer (NK) cells are a type of lymphocyte, or white blood cell, that play a major role in the immune system by targeting and killing infected cells and cancer cells.