Upper abdominal pain
Vague pain in the upper abdomen, sometimes extending to the right shoulder blade.
Cancers We Treat
Liver cancer can be treated
Liver cancer can be treated
without a single incision.
Liver cancer — most commonly hepatocellular carcinoma — often develops on the background of chronic liver disease, which makes gentle, precise treatment essential. AARO's Dr David Tan set up Singapore's pioneering liver SBRT programme at NCCS: ablative radiation delivered in five or fewer sessions.
HCCThe most common primary liver cancer
≤5Sessions for liver SBRT
1stLiver SBRT programme in Singapore, set up by our specialist
Image · placeholderAn AARO care team member explaining a treatment plan to a patient in the private lounge.
Image · placeholderAnatomy illustration — the liver and hepatic vessels
Liver Cancer · What is it
Cancer arising in — or spreading to — the liver.
Liver cancer is the abnormal growth of cells in the liver. The most common primary type is hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which begins in the hepatocytes — the liver's main cells. Less common types include cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer), hepatoblastoma in young children, and hemangiosarcoma arising from the liver's blood vessels.
Metastatic cancer — disease that spreads to the liver from another origin such as the colon or breast — is actually more common than cancer that begins in the liver itself, and is a frequent target for liver-directed treatment.
Early detection matters: untreated tumours can enlarge until they rupture, disturb the liver's function, or spread through the bloodstream. High-risk patients — those with cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis B — should discuss regular surveillance with their doctor.
Liver Cancer · Symptoms
When to see a doctor.
Early liver cancer usually causes no specific symptoms. When symptoms do emerge, they include:
Weakness & fatigue
General tiredness that doesn't improve with rest.
Weight & appetite loss
Losing weight or appetite without explanation.
Abdominal swelling
A mass or fluid build-up causing the abdomen to swell.
Jaundice
Yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes.
Itching
Persistent itching, often related to bile salt build-up.
Liver Cancer · Diagnosis
How liver cancer is diagnosed.
For high-risk patients, surveillance catches liver cancer while it's small — when survival is higher and every treatment option remains open.
Image · placeholderBlood test review — AFP tumour marker result
AFP blood test
Alpha-fetoprotein is a tumour marker often raised in liver cancer — a signal for further investigation rather than a diagnosis by itself.
Image · placeholderLiver ultrasound examination
Ultrasound
Surveillance ultrasound detects abnormalities in the liver, especially in cirrhotic or hepatitis-B patients under regular screening.
Image · placeholderMultiphase liver CT on the review console
CT / MRI
Multiphase CT and MRI characterise the lesion — in many cases confirming HCC by imaging alone.
Image · placeholderImage-guided liver biopsy illustration
Biopsy where needed
When imaging is inconclusive, a biopsy confirms the diagnosis and grade.
Liver Cancer · Risk factors
What raises your risk?
Liver cancer usually develops on a background of chronic liver damage — much of which is preventable.
Hepatitis B & C
Chronic viral hepatitis is the leading cause. Hepatitis B is vaccine-preventable; both warrant surveillance once chronic.
Cirrhosis
Scarring of the liver from any cause substantially raises risk.
Alcohol
Long-term alcohol abuse damages the liver and drives cirrhosis.
Aflatoxin
A toxin produced by mould on poorly stored peanuts and grains.
Diabetes & fatty liver
Diabetes and metabolic fatty liver disease are increasingly common contributors.
Family history
A relative with liver cancer raises your own risk.
Liver Cancer · Treatment
How AARO treats liver cancer.
Treatment depends on the tumour's stage, the liver's underlying health, and your overall condition — decided in multidisciplinary discussion. Radiation now plays a curative role that barely existed a decade ago.
Liver SBRT
Ablative radiation in five or fewer sessions — non-invasive, precise, and effective for HCC and liver metastases. Our specialist set up Singapore's pioneering programme.
Image-guided delivery
Breath-hold and motion-management techniques track the liver as it moves with breathing, keeping healthy liver out of the beam.
Immunotherapy & targeted therapy
Modern systemic options for advanced HCC, coordinated within your overall plan.
Multidisciplinary coordination
Surgery, ablation, embolisation (TACE) and transplant assessment — AARO coordinates radiation within the full toolkit, including an international trial comparing SBRT with TACE.
Liver Cancer · Precision
Hours of planning, for one careful treatment.
Every plan at AARO goes through detailed contouring, dose simulation, and independent physics review before a single beam is delivered. We do this so the radiation hits exactly the tissue that needs it — and avoids the healthy tissue around it.
Image · placeholderTwo AARO radiation therapists at the planning console, reviewing a treatment plan together on a multi-monitor workstation.
We plan every dose.
Our medical physicists and radiation therapists collaborate on each plan — contouring tumour and organs-at-risk, simulating dose distribution, and independently checking every parameter before delivery.
Image · placeholderAn AARO team member reviewing verification imaging at the console — daily image guidance before treatment.
We verify every session.
Imaging before each fraction confirms the target's position to the millimetre — so tight margins stay safe, and healthy tissue stays out of the high-dose region.
Image · placeholderA patient comfortably positioned beneath the Elekta linear accelerator with green laser positioning lights and the signature starry ceiling above.
Liver Cancer · What to expect
Quiet, precise, uneventful.
Each treatment session takes 15–30 minutes. You'll lie on a precision treatment couch beneath the linear accelerator. Positioning lasers and daily imaging align you to within a millimetre of the planned position.
You won't feel the radiation as it's delivered. There's no anaesthesia, no recovery time, and no overnight stay. Most patients drive themselves home after the session and return to normal activities the same day.
Image · placeholderThe four senior AARO specialists at the Centre for Stereotactic Radiosurgery.
Liver Cancer · Your specialists
Meet Dr David Tan→
Sub-specialist care.
Liver-directed radiation at AARO is led by the specialist who established Singapore's liver SBRT programme and co-investigates international liver SBRT trials.
Dr David TanGynae · GI · Hepatobiliary · Lung
Dr Jonathan TehGU · Head & Neck · GI · Sarcoma · Paediatric
Recently diagnosed? Or seeking a second opinion?
Book a 45–60 minute specialist consultation. We'll review your imaging and pathology, explain the options that apply to your case, and answer your questions.