Preparing For Liver Tumour Treatment

Preparing for surgery can be nerve-wracking, and whilst every person is different, there are some aspects that are common to all. We’ve put together this blog to help you get on the road to recovery and navigate your liver tumour treatment as well as possible. Simple adaptations to your lifestyle can bolster your body to be able to handle the rigours of treatment and its side effects, as well as having a beneficial impact on your long-term health.

Preparing for liver tumour treatment

Universal interventions

Universal interventions are lifestyle changes that will benefit anyone who has cancer, as well as their families. These interventions are focused on three key lifestyle changes, all of which have a dramatic impact on our bodies.

1. Diet

A healthy diet affects the way your body functions. It impacts weight, which impacts the stress on our organs, muscles and bones. It affects the amount of nutrients that are available to our bodies which influences things like skin health, organ function, bone density, hormone production – every aspect of our body is impacted by a healthy diet.

Physical activity

Physical activity also impacts our general health. You may already follow a fitness regimen, and your treatment specialist will advise on which aspects of this you can retain. If you do very little physical exercise, then we can help you find guidance on how to put together a physical fitness programme that will help your body build the strength it needs to handle treatment.

Mental health

This can be one of the most challenging aspects of cancer treatment, especially if you’re not used to talking about how you feel or expressing emotions. It’s essential to find a way to understand how you’re feeling and find a way to avoid being overwhelmed. You may wish to develop a mindfulness or meditation practice, join a support group, or look into practices such as forest bathing that help to calm and soothe the mind.

Other health considerations include stopping smoking and moderating alcohol intake.

Targeted interventions

Targeted interventions are, as the name suggests, interventions that are specific to your circumstances. This support is planned with the help of a specialist. It is usually used for people who:

• Are likely to experience long-term impact from treatment
• Have additional long-term health conditions
• Need extra support to help them prepare for treatment

We’ll work with you to identify what targeted interventions you may need and draw up a plan with our experts.

For information on how to prepare for after the procedure, please read our article on what to expect when recovering from liver resection surgery.

How we help you prepare for liver tumour treatment

At Birmingham HPB Clinic we understand every patient has different needs and we’ll work closely with you to help you prepare for your liver surgery and pave the way for as comfortable an experience as possible.