TriangleFOR PATIENTS · SOURCE READING
Certain types of chemotherapy and radiation to the liver or bile ducts increase the risk of late effects.
Source: Late Effects of Treatment for Childhood Cancer (PDQ®)–Patient Version, National Cancer Institute.
Source updated: February 12, 2025 · Captured 2026-09-09.
Selected source text with whitespace normalised. This Triangle page is not an NCI PDQ summary. Independent clinical review is pending.
The risk of liver or bile duct late effects may be increased in childhood cancer survivors treated with:
surgery to remove part of the liver or a liver transplant
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chemotherapy that includes high-dose cyclophosphamide as part of a stem cell transplant
chemotherapy such as 6-mercaptopurine, 6-thioguanine, methotrexate, and dactinomycin
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radiation therapy to the liver and bile ducts, with the risk depending on:
radiation therapy to the liver and bile ducts, with the risk depending on:
the dose of radiation and how much of the liver is treated
radiation therapy to the liver and bile ducts, with the risk depending on:
age when treated (the younger the age, the higher the risk)
radiation therapy to the liver and bile ducts, with the risk depending on:
whether there was surgery to remove part of the liver
radiation therapy to the liver and bile ducts, with the risk depending on:
whether chemotherapy, such as doxorubicin or dactinomycin, was given together with radiation therapy
stem cell transplant
The following may also increase the risk of liver and bile duct late effects:
hepatitis B or hepatitis C infection
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history of chronic graft-versus-host disease
liver damage caused by veno-occlusive disease/sinusoidal obstruction syndrome
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tissue and organ damage from the buildup of extra iron after having many blood transfusions
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Preserved source evidence · Independent clinical review pending · Not medical advice