Liver Cancer can recur

Mr Z first saw me back in 2011 for liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma). He underwent resection and he did well.

Unfortunately, his cancer recurred, with one 2cm nodule in 2013. I treated him with transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), a method whereby we inject chemotherapy via the arteries supplying the cancer, and then block it up to starve the cancer.
Mr Z did well but his cancer comes back in another part of the liver in 2015. Mr Z and his family are understandabily very disappointed. But Mr Z is not alone.

As a matter of fact, even after a curative resection for liver cancer, 50-70% of patients would experience cancer recurrence. That is because liver cancer occurs in liver that is sick or infected with viral hepatitis. So when one part develops cancer, other parts may develop cancer later on as well.
With proper followup and prompt treatment, most cancer recurrence can be controlled as long as they are discovered early.

Mr Z is a very good patient, ie, he follows instruction and he always comes back regularly for follow up
I always tell my patients with liver cancer about the risk of recurrence, and always remind them to come back for follow up even if they feel well

With regular followup, even recurred cancer can be discovered in early stage and can be treated successfully