Can a second surgery be performed after liver cancer recurrence?

In general, liver cancer recurrence refers to the reappearance of hepatocellular carcinoma at the original site or a new location after initial surgery or other treatments. Whether a second surgery is feasible following liver cancer recurrence depends on a comprehensive evaluation of the specific clinical condition. If any discomfort occurs, prompt medical consultation is recommended. Detailed analysis is as follows:

If the recurrent tumor is small in size, limited in number, confined to one region of the liver, has not invaded blood vessels or spread to distant sites, and if the patient has normal liver function and good overall health, a second surgery may often be considered after thorough assessment. Complete surgical removal of the recurrent lesion, followed by adjuvant therapy, can effectively prolong survival, with some patients even achieving long-term survival.

However, if the recurrent tumor is large, numerous, has invaded major blood vessels or metastasized to distant organs such as the lungs or bones, or if the patient suffers from severely impaired liver function, refractory ascites, coagulation disorders, or other complications, the possibility of a second surgery is extremely low. In such cases, surgery is unlikely to completely remove the tumor and may worsen liver damage due to surgical trauma, leading to severe complications and potentially shortening the patient's survival.

Routine follow-up after liver cancer surgery is essential, including regular examinations such as contrast-enhanced liver MRI and tumor markers, to detect recurrence early. Once recurrence is suspected, timely consultation with a specialist and comprehensive diagnostic evaluations are necessary to determine the exact disease status.