Medical Oncologist
CION Cancer Clinics
Liver resection for cancer: what it involves | CION Cancer Clinics
A liver resection removes the part of the liver that holds the tumour. It suits people whose cancer sits in one area and whose remaining liver is healthy enough to recover. This page explains what the team weighs before offering it, what happens from the tumour board to follow-up, who it does not suit, and what to ask when a surgeon says yes or no. At CION Cancer Clinics, a multidisciplinary tumour board weighs your liver function and your scans before recommending any treatment.
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Medically reviewed by Dr. Muralidhar MuddusettyConsultant Surgical Oncologist · MBBS (AIIMS), MS (Surgery, AIIMS), DNB (Surgical Oncology), MRCS (Edinburgh) · last reviewed October 2026, next review due October 2027
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On this page
The short answer
What is a liver resection, and who is it for?
A liver resection is an operation that removes the part of the liver holding the tumour, with a rim of healthy tissue around it. It is offered to people whose cancer sits in one area of the liver and whose remaining liver is healthy enough to keep them well while it recovers.
This page is mainly about primary liver cancer, the kind that starts in the liver itself, usually hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). If your cancer began in the bowel, breast or elsewhere and spread to the liver, the thinking is different. Read when liver metastases can be removed instead.
Why the liver makes this possible
The liver is the one organ that can regrow. When a healthy piece is removed, what is left grows back towards its old size over the following weeks and months. That is why a surgeon can sometimes take away a large share of it. The catch is the word healthy. A liver scarred by cirrhosis regrows poorly, and that single fact decides more resection plans than the tumour does.
Where it sits among the options
Resection is one of the treatments given with curative intent, meaning the aim is to remove all the cancer that can be seen. Ablation and transplant share that aim. TACE and tablets usually aim at control.
Being told you are not suitable for surgery is common. It does not mean nothing can be done.Three questions at once
What does the team look at before offering surgery?
A resection is decided by three things together. A small tumour is not enough on its own, and a large one does not rule surgery out.
The tumour
How many tumours there are, where they sit and whether they have grown into the main blood vessels. A single tumour in one part of the liver is the easiest case. Cancer that has reached the portal vein or spread outside the liver usually changes the plan.
The liver itself
How well the rest of the liver works. Blood tests, a Child-Pugh score and signs of raised pressure in the liver's veins tell the team whether the liver left behind can cope.
Usually checked
- Bilirubin, albumin and INR on the blood report
- Platelet count and spleen size
- Any fluid in the abdomen or swollen veins
The person
Heart, lungs, diabetes, kidney function and muscle strength all matter. A long anaesthetic and a large wound ask a lot of the body.
The liver that will be left
Surgeons estimate how much liver will remain. This is called the future liver remnant, and if it is too small there are ways to grow it first.
Not sure whether this applies to you?
Ask an oncologistFrom scan to discharge
What happens if surgery is the plan?
The tumour board review
Your scans, blood reports and history are discussed by surgeons, oncologists, radiologists and liver specialists together. CION arranges any further scans the board asks for.
Tests before surgery
Usually a triple-phase CT or MRI, blood tests, heart and lung checks, and sometimes a scan to measure the liver volume. These are arranged through accredited partner centres.
The operation
Done open or by keyhole, depending on where the tumour lies. Your team will tell you where the operation takes place. The detail of the operation is covered in what the operation involves.
The first days after
Close watch in a high-dependency bed, then the ward. Pain relief, early walking and blood tests to check the liver is working.
The pathology report and follow-up
The removed tissue is examined to confirm the type of cancer and whether the edges are clear. Regular scans and blood tests follow, because new tumours can appear elsewhere in the liver.
On your report
Which surgical words will you hear, in plain language?
- Hepatectomy
- Another word for liver resection. A major hepatectomy removes a large part of the liver; a minor one removes a smaller piece.
- Segmentectomy
- Removing one of the liver's natural sections, each with its own blood supply and bile drainage.
- Wedge resection
- Removing a small piece around a tumour near the surface, without following the natural sections.
- Margin
- The rim of healthy liver around the tumour. A clear margin means no cancer cells were seen at the cut edge.
- Portal vein embolisation
- A procedure done weeks before surgery that blocks blood flow to the part being removed, so the other side grows larger first.
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Did you know
A small tumour sometimes cannot be removed while a bigger one can. The deciding factor is often the liver around the tumour, not the tumour. That is why a small tumour can still be unsuitable for surgery.
Who this does not suit
When is surgery usually not the right choice?
Resection is usually not offered when the liver is badly scarred, when pressure in the liver's veins is high, or when fluid has collected in the abdomen. In those situations even a small operation can tip the liver into failure. A transplant, ablation or TACE may suit that person better.
When the cancer is too widespread
Tumours scattered through both sides of the liver, cancer that has grown into the main portal vein, or spread to the lungs or bones usually mean surgery would not remove all of it. Medicines such as immunotherapy or targeted therapy are then the main treatment, given at CION centres.
When the body is not ready
Serious heart or lung disease, very poor nutrition or marked muscle loss can make the operation itself too risky. Sometimes the team works on nutrition and fitness first and looks again.
If one surgeon says no, asking for a second opinion from a liver team is reasonable and common.Being straight with you
What this page cannot tell you
It cannot tell you whether your tumour can be removed. That depends on your scans, your blood reports and a surgeon examining you, and it is usually settled at a tumour board where several specialists look at the same images together.
It cannot predict your recovery
Hospital stay, pain and the time before you return to work vary with the size of the operation and the health of your liver. Your surgeon will give you an estimate based on your own plan.
It cannot weigh surgery against the alternatives for you
For some small tumours, ablation gives a similar result with a smaller procedure. For some people with cirrhosis, a transplant treats both the cancer and the damaged liver. These are choices to talk through with your team. The plain comparison of the main treatments is a good place to start.
Questions we are asked
Common questions about liver resection
Can the whole cancer be removed with a liver resection?
When the tumour is in one area and the margins come back clear, all the cancer that can be seen has been removed. The aim is curative. Because the rest of the liver may still be at risk, especially with cirrhosis or hepatitis, new tumours can appear later, which is why regular follow-up scans matter so much.
Will I be able to live normally with part of my liver gone?
Most people can, once they have recovered. A healthy liver grows back towards its original size, and the remaining part takes over the work. A scarred liver regrows less well, which is why surgeons are careful about how much they remove when cirrhosis is present.
Is keyhole surgery possible for the liver?
Yes, for some tumours. Keyhole or robotic resection suits tumours in parts of the liver that are easier to reach. Tumours near major blood vessels or deep in the liver often need open surgery. The surgeon chooses the approach that removes the tumour most safely, and will explain the reason.
Do I need a biopsy before surgery?
Not always. In a liver with cirrhosis, a typical pattern on a triple-phase CT or MRI can be enough to confirm HCC without a needle. When the scan is unclear, a biopsy may be arranged through a partner centre. Your team will tell you which applies to you.
Will I need treatment after the operation?
Many people need regular scans and blood tests only. Some, depending on the pathology report, are offered further treatment to lower the chance of the cancer returning. This is decided once the report is back. Read treatment after successful liver surgery for more.
What if my hepatitis B or C is still active?
It needs treating alongside the cancer. Hepatitis B is controlled with antiviral tablets and hepatitis C is curable with modern tablets. A hepatologist or physician manages this, and keeping the virus quiet protects the liver that remains after surgery.
How much does a liver resection cost in Hyderabad?
It depends on the size of the operation, the approach and the hospital stay. Insurance and government schemes may cover part of it, and the rules change, so they should be checked at the time. Ask for a written, itemised estimate. The liver surgery cost page explains what builds the bill.
How do I find out whether I am suitable?
Bring your recent scans on a disc, every blood report and any biopsy report to a consultation. CION's surgical oncologists will review them with the tumour board and tell you plainly whether surgery is an option. Call the helpline if you are unsure what to bring.
Your Specialists
Meet CION's liver cancer specialists. Bring your scan reports and liver blood tests.
Our medical and surgical oncologists plan liver cancer care together, weighing the tumour and how well your liver works before choosing surgery, a liver-directed procedure or medicines.
Medical Oncologist
Dr. C. Raghavendra Reddy
MBBS(Gold Medal), DNB(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Gold Medal)
Medical Oncologist
Dr. Bharati Devi Gorantla
MBBS, MD(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Adyar,Chennai), ECMO, MRCP SCE(UK)
Medical Oncologist
Dr. Owais Mohammed
MBBS, MD (General Medicine), DrNB (Medical Oncology), ECMO, MRCP SCE (Medical Oncology) (UK)
Medical Oncologist
Medical Oncologist
Surgical Oncologist
Dr. Muralidhar Muddusetty
MBBS (AIIMS), MS (Surgery) (AIIMS), DNB (Surgical Oncology), MRCS (Edinburgh)
Surgical Oncologist
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Sources
- American Cancer Society — Surgery for Liver Cancer
- Cancer Research UK — Surgery for liver cancer
- NHS — Treatment for liver cancer
- EASL — EASL Clinical Practice Guidelines: management of hepatocellular carcinoma
This page is general information, not a prescription. Do not change or stop any treatment based on what you read here. If anything is worrying you, contact your own treating team — or call our helpline and we will help you reach the right specialist.
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Want to know whether surgery is possible for you?
Share your scans and reports and a surgical oncologist will review them with the tumour board. You will get a plain answer about surgery and the alternatives. One helpline serves every CION centre.