Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a rare disease in which cancerous cells are found in the tissues of the liver. The average age for diagnosis in children is 12 years old. This disease only affects 1 in 1,000,000 children every year.
Symptoms may include loss of weight or appetite, abdominal pain, jaundice, and vomiting.
Surgery is the key treatment for children with HCC. Tumors and parts of the liver can be removed through surgery. Keep in mind that the liver has a remarkable capacity to regenerate itself. Chemotherapy is a treatment used in conjunction with surgery. Chemotherapy is a drug treatment that works by interfering with the cancer cells ability to grow or reproduce.
Because this disease is so rare in children, there is not a whole lot of information and what is available online is often scary and difficult to take in. We know that the information found on the internet does not factor in faith and miracles.
We, and everyone else who has been affected by cancer, hope that someday there will be more information on this disease. We feel confident that Tyler is in the best hands possible and he will get the treatment he needs.
