Hello, The outcome of hepatoma is extremely variable and depends as much on the state of the liver and the person s health as on any characteristic of cancer itself. Patients with more than a solitary tumour in the setting of cirrhosis might not live for six months, while those able to undergo surgery of transplant might be fully cured. Therapies such as radiofrequency ablation, chemoembolization, cryoablation, radiosurgery, radioembolization, and systemic therapy are frequently performed sequentially over a patient s lifetime, depending upon the changes as the disease progresses. Average survival for patients who are able to be treated with these methods is between one and two years. Despite these grim statistics, there is still room for optimism in this disease. Creative use of multiple techniques can lead to significant prolongation of a patient s life while keeping them feeling as well as possible. Experimental drugs are becoming increasingly common as researchers have recognized the molecular defects causing this cancer and using this knowledge to develop new targets. The evolution and improvement in radiologic and interventional technology for treating localized tumours has meant that millions of people who would previously never have been treated have experienced meaningful prolongation of their lives. In fact, the chance of living for more than two years with hepatoma has more than doubled since the early 1990s. Increased medical, scientific, and pharmaceutical attention to this difficult disease will undoubtedly make this even better in the future. 1. Localized means the cancer is still confined to the liver and includes stages I, II, and some stage III cancers. This includes a wide range of cancers, some of which are easier to treat than others. The 5-year relative survival rate for people with localized liver cancer is about 31%. 2. Regional means cancer has grown into nearby organs or has spread to nearby lymph nodes, and includes stages IIIC and IVA cancers. For regional stage liver cancer, the 5-year survival rate is about 11%. 3. Distant means that cancer has spread to distant organs or tissues and is the same as stage IVB. The 5-year relative survival rate for distant stage liver cancer is about 3%. 4. In general, survival rates are higher for people who can have surgery to remove their cancer, regardless of the stage. For example, studies have shown that patients with small, resectable tumours who do not have cirrhosis or other serious health problems are likely to do well if their cancers are removed. Their overall 5-year survival is over 50%. For people with early-stage liver cancers who have a liver transplant, the 5-year survival rate is in the range of 60% to 70%. Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further. Take care Regards, Dr Sanjay Kini, General & Family Physician