For secondary cancer in the liver, you are likely to see a doctor who specialises in the original cancer (e.g. a colorectal surgeon or a medical oncologist for bowel cancer).
The specialist will arrange further tests and consider treatment options. Often the treatment options will be discussed with other health professionals at what is known as a multidisciplinary team (MDT) meeting. During and after treatment, you will see a range of health professionals who specialise in different aspects of your care.
To find cancer specialists, multidisciplinary teams and hospitals in NSW or ACT, you can visit the NSW Government website CanRefer.
Health professionals you may see
| hepatobiliary surgeon | operates on the liver, gall bladder, pancreas and surrounding organs |
| gastroenterologist, hepatologist* | diagnose and treat disorders of the digestive system, including liver cancer; a hepatologist is a gastroenterologist specialising in liver diseases |
| interventional radiologist | analyses x-rays and scans, may also perform a biopsy under ultrasound or CT and deliver some treatments |
| medical oncologist | treats cancer with drug therapies such as chemotherapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy (systemic treatment) |
| radiation oncologist | treats cancer by prescribing and overseeing a course of radiation therapy |
| cancer care coordinator | coordinates your care, liaises with other members of the MDT and supports you and your family throughout treatment; care may also be coordinated by a clinical nurse consultant (CNC) or clinical nurse specialist (CNS) |
| nurse | administers drugs and provides care, information and support |
| physiotherapist, occupational therapist | assist with physical and practical problems, including restoring movement and mobility after treatment, and recommending aids and equipment |
| social worker | links you to support services and helps you with emotional, practical and financial issues |
| psychiatrist, counsellor, psychologist | help you manage your emotional response to diagnosis and treatment |
| dietitian | recommends an eating plan to follow while you are in treatment and recovery |
| palliative care team | works closely with your GP and cancer team to help control symptoms and maintain quality of life; includes palliative care specialists and nurses, as well as other health care professionals |
→ READ MORE: Secondary liver cancer treatment
Key resource
Download a PDF booklet on this topic.
More resources
Prof Desmond Yip, Senior Staff Specialist, Department of Medical Oncology, The Canberra Hospital, ACT (clinical update); A/Prof Siddhartha Baxi, Radiation Oncologist and Medical Director, GenesisCare, Gold Coast, QLD; Prof Katherine Clark, Clinical Director of Palliative Care, NSLHD Supportive and Palliative Care Network, Northern Sydney Cancer Centre, Royal North Shore Hospital, NSW; Anne Dowling, Hepatoma Clinical Nurse Consultant and Liver Transplant Coordinator, Austin Health, VIC; A/Prof Koroush Haghighi, Liver, Pancreas and Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeon, Prince of Wales and St Vincent’s Hospitals, NSW; Karen Hall, 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council SA; Dr Brett Knowles, Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary and General Surgeon, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and St Vincent’s Hospital, VIC; Lina Sharma, Consumer; A/Prof Simone Strasser, Head of Department and Hepatologist, AW Morrow Gastroenterology and Liver Centre, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and The University of Sydney, NSW; David Thomas, Consumer.
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