Fatty Liver Turns Deadly: How Doctors Saved a High-Risk Patient Without Surgery

Delhi NCR: Doctors in Delhi NCR have successfully treated liver cancer in a 72-year-old man through a single minimally invasive, non-surgical angiographic procedure, while also relieving a severe urinary obstruction during the same sitting. The patient was considered high-risk and unfit for surgery or general anesthesia due to advanced liver disease.

The patient, was a resident of Srinagar, was diagnosed with early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer) with a large tumour measuring approximately 8 cm, along with advanced liver cirrhosis. Doctors confirmed that the cancer developed due to long-standing fatty liver disease, a condition that often remains undetected because it may not cause symptoms in its early stages.

Importantly, the patient did not consume alcohol, did not have viral hepatitis, and was not obese. However, years of unhealthy dietary habits, including frequent consumption of junk food, packaged foods, and oily meals, led to fatty liver, which gradually progressed to irreversible liver damage and eventually cancer.

As open surgery posed a life-threatening risk, doctors opted for Transarterial Chemoembolization (TACE)—a minimally invasive, image-guided procedure in which chemotherapy is delivered directly to the tumour through blood vessels while cutting off its blood supply.

During pre-procedure imaging, doctors also discovered that the patient had been suffering from severe urinary obstruction for over two years due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), an age-related enlargement of the prostate gland. The condition had caused painful urination, extreme urgency, and frequent night-time urination, significantly affecting his quality of life.

Since vascular access had already been established and the patient could undergo only one intervention, doctors made a clinical decision to treat both conditions in the same session. Following TACE, the team performed Prostatic Artery Embolization (PAE)—a non-surgical procedure that reduces blood flow to the enlarged prostate, allowing it to shrink naturally and relieve urinary symptoms.

Commenting on the case, Dr. Abhay Kapoor, Director – Interventional Radiology, Paras Health Delhi NCR, said:“Fatty liver is often ignored, but when it progresses, it can permanently damage the liver and even lead to cancer. This case highlights how lifestyle-related fatty liver alone can result in cirrhosis and cancer. Using image-guided, non-surgical techniques, we were able to safely manage both liver cancer and severe urinary obstruction in a patient who could not tolerate surgery or anesthesia.”

The combined procedure lasted approximately three hours. The patient was admitted on 23 December 2025, underwent the intervention the following day, and was discharged within three days after stabilization of liver parameters, without any complications.

Sharing his experience, the patient said:“I never imagined that fatty liver could turn into cancer. I was scared when doctors said surgery was risky for me. This treatment gave me a second chance without surgery, and my daily discomfort is finally gone.”

Doctors noted that the case highlights the serious and often underestimated risks of untreated fatty liver disease and demonstrates how modern image-guided, minimally invasive treatments can offer safe and effective alternatives for elderly and medically complex patients who are not suitable candidates for conventional surgery.