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Providence Liver Cancer Clinic West

Providence Liver Cancer Clinic, with locations on Portland's east and west side, offers comprehensive, multidisciplinary care for people with liver cancer. Our skilled and experienced medical team makes up one of the highest-volume specialty liver cancer clinics in Oregon. Every year, our team gives hope to hundreds of patients who are living longer and better despite a cancer diagnosis.

2034.2 miles away
503-215-8650
971-282-0017
Mon - Fri: 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Providence Liver Cancer Clinic West

Providence Liver Cancer Clinic, with locations on Portland's east and west side, offers comprehensive, multidisciplinary care for people with liver cancer. Our skilled and experienced medical team makes up one of the highest-volume specialty liver cancer clinics in Oregon. Every year, our team gives hope to hundreds of patients who are living longer and better despite a cancer diagnosis.

2034.2 miles away
Mon - Fri: 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Meet the Team

At Providence, you'll have access to a vast network of dedicated and compassionate providers who offer personalized care by focusing on treatment, prevention and health education.

Who should be screened for liver cancer?

Liver cancer is potentially curable if diagnosed early. Anyone at high risk for this cancer should be screened by ultrasound every six months.

Persons at high risk include:

  • Anyone with cirrhosis from any cause; hepatitis C, hepatitis B, alcohol and fatty liver disease are the most common causes of cirrhosis in the United States.
  • Persons of Asian descent with chronic hepatitis B (men aged 40 and over, women aged 50 and over).
  • Persons of African descent, aged 20 and over, with chronic hepatitis B.
  • Persons of any age with chronic hepatitis B and a family history of liver cancer.
  • Contact your primary care provider to discuss screening with ultrasound. Your provider will may refer you to Providence Liver Cancer Clinic if the ultrasound shows a mass in the liver. Your
  • primary care provider may refer you to a specialist in gastroenterology if you are found to have hepatitis or cirrhosis.
Chronic liver disease

The liver is the largest internal organ of the human body. It helps metabolize food by producing digestive enzymes and bile, cleans the blood, provides nutrients, assists with blood clotting, and fights infections. The liver can withstand stress and disease remarkably well because of its ability to regenerate after injury. It is the only internal organ which has this capacity.

During the early stages of chronic liver disease, patients often have no symptoms. Later, patients may develop symptoms such as yellowing of the skin (jaundice), easy bleeding and bruising, and excess fluid in the abdomen (ascites) or legs (edema).

Almost all patients who develop liver cancer (also known as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) or hepatoma) already have chronic liver disease, but many will not have any symptoms. Management of liver cancer requires special expertise because the liver in which it grows is already compromised from chronic disease.

Methods of diagnosis

Because of the unique blood supply of liver cancers, they are diagnosed with contrast-enhanced imaging, such as computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Imaging studies also confirm the stage of the cancer: early, intermediate or advanced.

State-of-the-art treatment for liver cancer
Early stage
  • Surgical team in actionSurgical resection
    If a patient has no symptoms of cirrhosis and the tumor has not spread, liver cancer can potentially be removed surgically. Depending on the tumor’s location and size, surgeons at Providence Liver Cancer Clinic may be able to use minimally invasive surgical techniques.
  • Radiofrequency or microwave ablation
    If tumors are small, they may be destroyed by directing a device into the center of the tumor and delivering energy in the form of heat. This treatment can be performed laparoscopically or under imaging guidance.
  • Ethanol ablation
    If tumors are small and are close to central bile ducts, injection of ethanol may be performed to kill tumor cells without compromising the bile ducts.
  • Liver transplantation
    Sometimes the best treatment for liver cancer is a liver transplant. The size and number of tumors, the health of the surrounding liver, and the general health of the patient determine whether this is an option. Doctors at Providence Liver Cancer Clinic refer patients to transplant centers for evaluation when appropriate.
Intermediate stage
  • Chemoembolization with drug-eluting beads
    Interventional radiologists can deliver beads coated with chemotherapy directly into liver tumors. They guide a catheter from the groin into the arteries in the liver, then inject tiny beads to deliver chemotherapy and block the tumor’s blood supply. This treatment can shrink the tumor and prolong the patient’s life.
  • Radioembolization with yttrium-90 (Y-90)
    Similar in technique to chemoembolization, Y-90 radioembolization is a more advanced catheter-based treatment. Radiation beads are delivered through the liver arteries directly into the tumors.
Advanced stage
  • Patients with advanced liver cancer can be treated with a medication called sorafenib to help prolong their lives. In addition, new treatments are on the horizon for this cancer that has been resistant to traditional forms of chemotherapy.
Improving treatments
  • Physicians, scientists and research nurses bring opportunities to find safer, more effective treatments for liver cancer in its early and later stages. A clinical trial may be available to you.
Supportive and palliative care
  • Our oncology nurse navigators work closely with patients to guide them through the treatment and recovery process. Our staff can introduce patients to the oncology social work team for emotional support and guidance. We can also connect patients with oncology palliative care specialists, who focus on providing physical comfort and emotional support.

Providence Liver Cancer Clinic provides:

  • Multidisciplinary conference review of all patients with liver cancer
  • Medical, surgical and radiation oncologists
  • Interventional radiologists
  • Oncology nurse navigators
  • Clinical research nurses
  • Oncology palliative care practitioners
  • Oncology social work services for patients and their families
  • Complementary therapies, including naturopathy, acupuncture and massage to relieve symptoms and treatment side effects
  • Access to clinical trials through the Earle A. Chiles Research Institute

When you first hear the words “it’s cancer,” the road ahead may seem overwhelming. But from that moment on, Providence Cancer Institute surrounds you with people to help you through the journey. Treating your cancer is not only about treating the disease; it is also about supporting you as a whole person – body, mind and spirit. Here are some of our key support services to help you get through your treatment and emerge as healthy as possible.

Expert care services
  • Oncology nurse navigators work directly with your oncologists, surgeons, and care team to help you better understand and follow your treatment plans. The compassionate guidance of nurse navigators has been shown to improve treatment outcomes for patients.
    Learn more about nurse navigators.
  • Oncology social workers are trained counselors who help patients and families cope with the emotional stresses and practical concerns associated with cancer. Providence cancer patients and their families can benefit from our social work services.
    Learn more about what an oncology social worker can do for you.
  • Oncology nutrition. Cancer and cancer treatments can affect the way your body tolerates certain foods and uses nutrients. Our registered dietitians specialize in cancer nutrition and are here to help.
    Learn more about oncology nutrition.
  • Integrative medicine offers an excellent complement to conventional medicine to help patients achieve optimal health. Programs and services include acupuncture, chiropractic medicine, naturopathy, therapeutic massage and more.
    Learn more about integrative medicine.
  • Palliative care is a type of health care that focuses on improving your physical, emotional and spiritual health while you receive cancer treatment giving special attention to relieving pain and other distressing symptoms.
    Learn more about palliative care.
  • Cancer rehabilitation combines evidence-based cancer rehabilitation practices with services to address side effects and symptoms. The result is our patients recover their energy, well-being and quality of life more completely and quickly.
    Learn more about cancer rehabilitation.
Support services

In addition to providing expert cancer care, Providence Cancer Institute provides an extra dimension of care through our many support services and cancer resources.

  • Support groups provide education and support for cancer patients and their loved ones. Support groups are led by our professional staff and are offered as a free service to any person with cancer in our community.
  • Peer support is offered by trained volunteers who provide one-on-one peer support for patients with cancer and/or their caregivers. It is an opportunity to talk about your fears or concerns with someone who comes from a place of understanding your journey.
    Learn more about support groups and peer support.
  • The Living Well Guide is designed to provide our patients with one reference for all contact numbers, support services and self-care information.
  • The Living Well Through Cancer Treatment and Beyond Video Series will give you information, support and hope. Each video features patients who share their stories and experiences with helpful advice from cancer care experts.
    Learn more about Living Well Guide & video series.
  • Both the Living Well Guide and the video series are available in several languages.
Additional resources
  • Childcare
  • Financial resources
  • Guest housing
  • Lending libraries
  • Rehabilitation services
  • Transportation resources
  • Wellness classes
  • Screening and prevention

Learn More About Support Services & Resources

Why Choose Us for Your Cancer Care?

We know that every patient is unique. No two patients – or their treatment plans – are alike. This is why we take a highly personalized approach to cancer care, and we always put our patients first. Our cancer specialists are at the forefront of innovative, state-of-the-art technologies and treatment options.  We partner with you to develop specialized treatment plans that fit your needs and provide the best outcomes. At Providence Cancer Institute of Oregon, some of our advanced treatments include:

You will have access to unsurpassed support at every stage of your treatment, adding an extra dimension of care to help fight cancer. Our oncology nurse navigators, social workers, dietitians and spiritual care providers help guide you through treatment and promote health on every level — body, mind and spirit. As an added layer of support, our Oncology Resource Specialists provide free, personalized assistance to patients, families and care partners. These caregivers will help you navigate and use the many resources available throughout the community and through Providence.

Learn more about our cancer support services.

Cancer doesn’t discriminate, but access to great cancer care hasn’t always been the same for everyone. At Providence, we are deeply committed to making sure every patient we treat has access to the best cancer care. We value, respect and support the racial, ethnic, religious, gender, sexual and spiritual identities of each member of our diverse community, and we never turn a patient away. Instead, we work to make sure every patient is treated equally and with dignity – whoever you are, and wherever you are in your journey.

When you become a patient at Providence, you become part of a collaborative cancer-care network. Our care often exceeds national measures for patient outcomes. We have award-winning doctors, scientists, researchers and caregivers across 51 hospitals in seven states. The skills of your local team and the power of this network add up to the best, most compassionate care. And if you need to meet with a specialist outside your area, we have telehealth technology to help. Our network and superior care are among the reasons 6,000 newly diagnosed cancer patients choose Providence Cancer Institute of Oregon each year.

Through our pioneering research, we have helped make cancer immunotherapy a new standard of care. Our globally renowned team of physician researchers and scientists at Earle A. Chiles Research Institute offers hope to patients and families.

THE POWER OF OUR NETWORK

Part of Providence Cancer Institute of Oregon

Providence Cancer Institute is a leading provider of cancer care in Oregon, and part of the largest community-based cancer-care network in the United States. Regardless of where you go for care, you have an entire team of cancer experts working together to provide a personalized, whole-person approach to your care. At Providence we see more than a cancer diagnosis, we see the life in you and are committed to helping you live well again.

Learn More About the Providence Cancer Institute of Oregon

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Find Clinical Trials

Are you looking for a clinical trial for yourself or for a patient? We’d love to help you find one!