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To schedule an appointment with a Jefferson physician call 1-800-JEFF-NOW or click here.
To contact the Liver Tumor Program team at Jefferson, please call 215-503-8752 and/or fax your records to 215-503-8755.
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The Kimmel Cancer Center at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital is at the forefront of treatments for liver cancer and related
diseases and conditions. From surgical to non-surgical treatments, we offer a full complement of options to address virtually
any type of liver disease. Treatments include:
Liver Transplant – Thomas Jefferson University Hospital has had a long tradition of outstanding success in the treatment of patients with
all forms of acute and chronic liver disease. Initiated in 1984, ours has been the longest continuously active Liver Transplantation
program in the Philadelphia area. In fact, the first liver transplant in the Delaware Valley was performed at Thomas Jefferson
University Hospital. To date, more than 500 patients have been transplanted.
Liver Resection – Jefferson offers advanced surgical techniques for liver resection – the removal of some or all of the liver. This can be
done by traditional open laparotomy or by keyhole surgery (laparoscopy).
Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) – This treatment option uses heat energy to destroy tumor or scar tissue.
Percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI) – With this option, large quantities of pure alcohol are injected into the liver tumor to destroy its cells.
Intrahepatic chemotherapy/chemoembolization – This is the process of injecting chemotherapy drugs into the artery that supplies blood to the tumor in the liver. The
artery is then blocked off with tiny particles, thereby protecting healthy tissue and depriving the tumor of its blood supply.
90 Yttrium microspheres (TheraSpheres, SIR-Spheres) – This revolutionary treatment involves delivering radiation directly to liver tumors via microscopic beads. Just one-third
the diameter of a human hair, each bead is embedded with a radioactive element called 90Yttrium.
Pump intra-arterial chemotherapy infusion – This is the optimal treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer and involves the implantation of a refillable pump that
infuses chemotherapy drugs directly into the tumor in the liver.
Hormonal therapy – Several agents are being evaluated for their use in the treatment of HCC. These agents include tamoxifen, 2-methoxy-estrogen,
as well as megestrol (Megace) for appetite stimulation.
Cell growth control and anti-angiogenesis therapy – We are evaluating the use of the new cell-cycle inhibitors – including such antibodies and molecule inhibitors as Bevacizumab,
Erlotinib, Imatinib, Cetuximab, Lapatinib, Sunitinib and Sutent – as well as kinase inhibitors, such as Sorafenib, in the
management of HCC. These agents are being used as both standalone therapy and in combination with either chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
K vitamins are also emerging as non-toxic new treatments for HCC.
Systemic chemotherapy – Although not the recommended treatment for most patients with liver cancer, there are a number of chemotherapeutic drugs
that can help in certain circumstances.
Contact us
To schedule an appointment with a Jefferson physician call 1-800-JEFF-NOW or click here.
To contact the Liver Tumor Program team at the Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson, please call 215-503-8752 and/or fax your records to 215-503-8755. We aim to schedule your first clinic visit within two weeks of your diagnosis being made and records being received.
