27 Nov, 2025
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27 Nov, 2025
This article is medically reviewed by Dr. Satya Srinivas Appala, Consultant - Medical Oncology, HCG Cancer Centre, Vijayawada.
Chemotherapy for liver cancer is a treatment that uses potent anticancer drugs to kill or prevent the growth of liver tumor cells.
Your doctor may recommend chemotherapy when surgery is not possible or when a multimodal approach is required to treat the liver cancer, especially in advanced stages.
Other treatments that can be delivered along with chemotherapy are targeted therapy, transarterial chemoembolization, and immunotherapy.
Chemotherapy, as a treatment for liver cancer, is administered in two ways. One is the regional chemotherapy in which the drug is infused directly into the hepatic artery. It ensures precise tumor targeting while minimizing systemic side effects.
However, when the cancer spreads to multiple locations, as seen in advanced liver cancer cases, systemic chemotherapy is recommended. It involves administering the drug into the bloodstream to reach cancer cells throughout the body.
The oncologist recommends chemotherapy to shrink the tumor before surgery, control tumor spread, or relieve symptoms in advanced disease.
You may experience various side effects with chemotherapy, such as fatigue, nausea, and hair loss. However, modern techniques and support care reduce the side effects and make the treatment tolerable.
At HCG Cancer Centre, the team, comprising oncologists and gastroenterologists, plans the treatment based on the patient's condition and provides optimal treatment to improve overall outcomes.
HCG Cancer Centre is one of the best cancer hospitals in India, known for providing comprehensive liver cancer care. The treatment of liver cancer through chemotherapy is personalized based on the stage of the disease, overall health, and status of liver function in each patient.
If required, the expert team at the HCG Cancer Centre also follows a multidisciplinary approach that combines chemotherapy with advanced treatments, such as targeted therapy, transarterial chemoembolization, and immunotherapy, to improve treatment efficacy.
Your oncologist may administer the chemotherapy at HCG Cancer Centre either systemically or regionally. Regional administration of chemotherapy minimizes the side effects and enhances cancer control.
You are closely monitored by the expert team and the supporting staff throughout your treatment. You may also undergo regular scans and blood tests to assess treatment response and adjust the dose, if required.
The supportive care team at the HCG Cancer Centre also provides infection prevention, nutritional guidance, and emotional counseling. It will ensure you maintain strength and quality of life during therapy.
The patient-centered approach at the HCG Cancer Centre improves survival outcomes and chemotherapy comfort for patients with liver cancer.
Your oncologists recommend chemotherapy as an option for liver cancer treatment when surgery or liver transplantation is not possible or when the cancer has spread to other parts of the body.
You may also be advised to undergo chemotherapy for advanced or metastatic liver cancer when the local treatments, such as surgery or ablation, are not effective.
You may also undergo chemotherapy before the surgery (neoadjuvant) to shrink tumors or after the surgery (adjuvant) to kill the remaining cancer cells. This reduces the overall recurrence risk. You may also receive a combination therapy with chemotherapy and transarterial chemoembolization for more effective disease management.
In a normal scenario, chemotherapy slows down tumor growth, manages your symptoms, and improves your overall life expectancy. Support through modern drugs and a customized treatment plan, such as those offered by the HCG Cancer Centre, also improves the overall treatment outcomes.
Chemotherapy involves various drug classes. Each drug class uses a unique mechanism to attack cancer cells in the body. These mechanisms slow tumor growth, shrink the existing tumors, and prevent cancer spread and proliferation.
Alkylating agents damage DNA in cancer cells. This prevents them from dividing and multiplying. These drugs kill tumor cells and help control the progression of the disease.
Antimetabolite drugs interfere with the synthesis of DNA and RNA. These nucleic acids are essential for the growth of the cancer cells. By mimicking the natural components, antimetabolites disrupt the normal cellular function and prevent tumor replication.
The anthracycline class of chemotherapy drugs inhibits the enzyme responsible for DNA replication. This inhibition results in DNA breaks and prevents repair. Cancer cell proliferation is halted, and cell death is triggered.
Platinum-based chemotherapy drugs cross-link within the DNA strands. These drugs prevent the DNA from uncoiling and replicating. Platinum-based drugs stop the growth and division of cancer cells.
The topoisomerase enzyme is needed to unwind the DNA during replication. Topoisomerase inhibitors block this enzyme and interfere with its function in DNA unwinding. This results in DNA damage and death of cancer cells.
Specific pathways drive the growth of liver cancer and blood vessel formation. Targeted chemotherapy drugs block particular signaling pathways. These drugs have a more precise approach against cancer cells. The harm to healthy cells is minimized, and the tumor spread is controlled.
Additional Reading: Types of Chemotherapy Treatments Available at HCG Cancer Centre
Chemotherapy uses potent anticancer drugs to destroy the rapidly dividing cells, including liver cancer cells. The mechanism of these drugs is either killing the cancer cells directly or stopping their growth and multiplication.
The oncologists administer the chemotherapy pills for liver cancer or administer the drug through injection. When the route of administration is injection, it may be either systemic or localized. Localized chemotherapy administration offers greater precision and reduced side effects.
Chemotherapy drugs damage the DNA of cancer cells and interfere with several pathways essential to their growth and proliferation. Chemotherapy helps slow disease progression, shrink tumors, and relieve symptoms, particularly in patients with advanced or inoperable liver cancer.
Chemotherapy slows the growth of liver cancer. However, these drugs also adversely affect healthy cells, leading to side effects. The type and severity of your side effects depend on the drug, dosage, treatment duration, and the patient's overall health.
You may have vomiting, nausea, loss of appetite, fatigue, and hair thinning. Other common symptoms include diarrhea or constipation, oral ulcers, and weakness. These side effects are short-term and are managed through medications and dietary support.
As chemotherapy drugs target the liver, you may notice an elevation in the liver enzymes or may have mild liver inflammation, especially if you have pre-existing liver disease. Your oncologist will regularly monitor your liver function to ensure timely management and treatment adjustment.
You may also experience a reduction in white blood cell counts, thereby increasing your risk for infection. Chemotherapy also reduces red blood cell and platelet counts. While a reduction in red blood cells causes weakness, a decrease in platelets leads to easy bruising.
Chemotherapy also affects your mental and emotional health. You may experience anxiety, mood swings, or sleep disturbances because of prolonged treatment.
Additional Reading: Chemotherapy Side Effects - Tips to Manage Them
Apart from delivering optimal chemotherapy treatment to patients with liver cancer, the care team at HCG Cancer Centre also supports patients in managing the side effects of chemotherapy.
The goal of this treatment is to ensure efficacy while maintaining comfort and overall well-being.
You may expect a personalized treatment plan for you from the liver cancer specialist team. The chemotherapy regimen is customized based on your liver function status, cancer stage, and overall health.
Drug selection and dose adjustments are performed to achieve minimal toxicity and maximum efficacy.
In addition to core oncology services, patients at HCG Cancer Centre can also seek supportive care to manage cancer symptoms and minimize the side effects of chemotherapy.
Some of these medications include anti-nausea drugs, pain relievers, and appetite stimulants. If you have a significant reduction in white blood cell counts, you may be given growth factor injections.
HCG Cancer Centre also offers nutritionist services. You may expect a specialized diet plan that will help you maintain energy, prevent dehydration, and support liver health.
You may also be recommended to consume high-protein, antioxidant-rich foods to enhance recovery and immunity.
You may also undergo frequent blood tests and liver function assessments at the HCG Cancer Centre, which help detect chemotherapy side effects early.
Oncologists adjust your treatment immediately based on the test results, thereby ensuring safety.
The multidisciplinary care at the HCG Cancer Centre includes stress management, counseling, and support groups. It will help you cope emotionally and stay motivated throughout your chemotherapy.
Your preparation ahead of your chemotherapy session helps in better coping with the treatment and minimizing side effects. You may expect a combination of physical, emotional, and practical preparation to ensure a smoother treatment journey.
Before starting chemotherapy, you should undergo blood tests, imaging scans, and liver function evaluation to customize the treatment plan. You are required to share all details regarding medications and supplements to minimize harmful interactions with the chemotherapy drugs.
Your oncologist will advise you to eat a balanced diet rich in fruits, protein, and whole grains to strengthen the body. Staying adequately hydrated before and after chemotherapy helps flush toxins and reduce fatigue.
Chemotherapy may be emotionally challenging for you. However, adequate emotional support and motivation through support groups and counselors will help you maintain your emotional health during the procedure.
You should arrange your transportation to the hospital, plan for time off work, and wear comfortable clothing for the infusion sessions.
You may receive a detailed pre-chemotherapy counseling session at the HCG Cancer Centre. It will cover detailed information about the side effects, medications to take, and guidelines on post-treatment care. It will help you prepare for potential side effects and be ready for the treatment.
Monitoring and follow-up are essential components of liver cancer chemotherapy, especially chemotherapy for liver cancer stage 4. It ensures that you have a safe and effective treatment.
At the HCG Cancer Centre, the monitoring and follow-up process is personalized and closely supervised.
During chemotherapy, you may undergo frequent check-ups and consultations to monitor your response to treatment and overall health. The doctor may assess your symptoms, such as nausea, fatigue, or pain, to ensure timely management of any side effects.
You may undergo routine blood tests before each chemotherapy cycle to monitor the liver enzymes, kidney function, and blood counts. The results help your oncologist decide whether you can tolerate the next cycle or if a dose adjustment is required.
Your treating oncologist also recommends periodic CT scans, ultrasounds, or MRIs to track and monitor shrinkage or detect the development of any lesions. It helps in determining treatment response.
Additional Reading: Why Should You Not Skip Your Chemotherapy Cycles
Chemotherapy is generally combined with other liver cancer treatments to increase the overall treatment efficacy and improve survival. At HCG Cancer Centre, the oncologists develop multimodal treatment plans customized to each patient based on cancer stage and overall health.
In some cases, the oncologists may administer chemotherapy before the surgery to shrink the tumor, thereby making it easier to remove. It may also be administered after the surgery to kill the remaining cancer cells.
If you are not eligible for undergoing surgery, the oncologist may recommend a combination of chemotherapy and a transarterial chemoembolization procedure. It involves delivering the anticancer drug directly into the hepatic blood supply. The blood flow is blocked to prevent nutrients from reaching the tumor cells.
Chemotherapy may also be used along with immunotherapy or targeted therapy to improve the response rates in patients with advanced liver cancer. The combination improves the overall survival.
In some cases, the oncologists may recommend chemotherapy with radiation therapy to enhance the tumor-killing potential of the high-energy radiation.
These integrated treatment approaches at the HCG Cancer Centre ensure better patient care and improved disease control.
Chemotherapy alone as a treatment option for liver cancer gives modest outcomes because several cases of liver cancer are detected in the advanced stages. It has been found that systemic chemotherapy in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma had a median overall survival of about 8.8 months.
However, the outcomes improved significantly when chemotherapy was combined with various other therapies, such as surgery, radiation therapy, ablation, or transplant. Early-stage liver cancer treated with surgery or transplant reported a 5-year rate as high as 60 to 70%.
In clinical practice, chemotherapy as a treatment for liver cancer in India is generally a component of the multimodal plan rather than used in isolation, particularly when the treatment aims to control the disease and not the cure.
It is important to note that the timing of treatment, the use of combined therapies, liver function, and overall health are critical for improving outcomes.
HCG Cancer Centre is India's leading cancer care center because of its experienced team of oncologists, capable of managing complex liver cancers. The chemotherapy protocols used are evidence-based and tailored to each patient's overall condition.
HCG Cancer Centre is equipped with advanced diagnostic and infusion systems that increase the precision and safety of chemotherapy. The care team at the center comprised surgical, medical, and radiation oncologists. The team carefully reviews your complete medical records and creates a personalized treatment plan.
We use safe and patient-friendly cancer treatment technologies at HCG to optimize the health outcomes for liver cancer patients.
HCG Cancer Centre offers compassionate, patient-centric care. Every patient undergoing treatment at the center receives nutritional counseling, psychological care, and side-effect management to improve quality of life during treatment.
The oncologists at the HCG Cancer Centre have access to advanced therapies. These therapies improve survival rates and enhance patient compliance. It makes the HCG Cancer Centre a trusted choice for liver cancer chemotherapy.
At HCG Cancer Care Center, the cost for chemotherapy in patients with liver cancer is competitive and affordable. For instance, the liver cancer chemotherapy at the Bangalore Center ranges between 3.5 lakhs and 6 lakhs for the entire treatment course.
However, several factors influence the actual treatment cost, such as the drug used, the number of cycles required, the use of other treatment interventions, and the patient's overall health.
Before initiating treatment, patients are advised to obtain an itemized cost estimate covering drugs, hospital stay, infusion costs, investigations, and follow-up care, including consultation charges.
HCG has multiple centers across India to deliver chemotherapy as part of comprehensive liver cancer care management.
HCG has 21 centers in India that offer specialized chemotherapy for patients diagnosed with liver cancer. The major centers of HCG Cancer Centre are Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, and Jaipur. These centers have advanced medical oncology departments focused on liver and gastrointestinal cancers.
Each HCG Cancer Centre offers personalized chemotherapy regimens. These include regional and systemic therapy options. The expert team plans the treatment through tumor boards. This ensures safety and accuracy based on the patient's condition.
HCG Cancer Centre has its presence in both the metro and tier-2 cities. This widespread presence ensures affordable, high-quality chemotherapy for patients with liver cancer close to their homes. HCG Cancer Center offers continuous monitoring and access to state-of-the-art technology for chemotherapy to patients with liver cancer.
Chemotherapy uses potent anticancer drugs to kill or slow the growth of liver cancer cells. Chemotherapy is administered either directly into the hepatic blood vessels or into systemic circulation. It is usually prescribed in combination with other treatments, such as surgery, radiation therapy, and immunotherapy.
The mechanisms of action of chemotherapy drugs vary. These drugs interfere with DNA replication or prevent blood vessel formation. Patients undergoing chemotherapy may have side effects, such as nausea, vomiting, and fatigue. HCG Cancer Centre has a nationwide presence to provide comprehensive care and advanced chemotherapy facilities to patients with liver cancer.
Dr. Satya Srinivas Appala
Consultant - Medical Oncology
MBBS, MD (General Medicine), DNB (Medical Oncology)
Dr. Satya Srinivas Appala is a highly experienced medical oncology expert who is available for consultations at HCG Cancer Centre, a top-ranking hospital for cancer treatment in Vijayawada. He specializes in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of solid tumors, namely head and neck cancer, breast cancer, thoracic cancers, gastrointestinal cancers, gynecological cancers, urological cancers, musculoskeletal cancers, soft tissue sarcoma, and pediatric cancers, using comprehensive diagnostic and treatment approaches.
Outside his clinical practice, he is an avid researcher who is involved in multiple clinical trials. He also has a special interest in writing case studies and original articles.
Appointment Link: Book an Appointment Link with Dr. Satya Srinivas Appala.
