What is liver cancer?
Only cancers that start in the liver are called liver cancer. To understand liver cancer, it helps to know about the normal structure and function of the liver.
On the liver
The liver is the largest internal organ. It is located below the ribs on the right side just below his right lung. It is shaped like a pyramid and divided into right and left lobes. The lobes are segmented.
Unlike most other organs, the liver receives blood from two sources: the hepatic artery supplies the liver with oxygen-rich blood from the heart, and the portal vein carries nutrient-rich blood from the gut.
You can not live without your liver. It has several important functions:
It breaks down and stores many of the nutrients absorbed from the intestine that your body needs to function. Some nutrients must be changed (metabolized) by the liver before they can be used by the rest of the body for energy or to build and repair body tissues.
It makes most of the clotting factors that prevent excessive bleeding when cut or injured.
Bile is secreted into the intestine to help absorb nutrients (especially fats).
Filter and decomposes toxic wastes in the blood, which are then removed from the body.
The liver consists mainly of cells called hepatocytes. It also consists of other types of cells, including the cells that line blood vessels and the cells lining the small tubes called bile ducts of the liver. The bile ducts outside the liver spread and carry bile from the liver to the gallbladder or directly to the intestines.
These different types of cells in the liver can form various types of (non-cancerous) benign malignant (cancerous). These tumors have different causes, are treated differently and have a different prognosis (outlook).
Only cancers that start in the liver are called liver cancer. To understand liver cancer, it helps to know about the normal structure and function of the liver.
On the liver
The liver is the largest internal organ. It is located below the ribs on the right side just below his right lung. It is shaped like a pyramid and divided into right and left lobes. The lobes are segmented.
Unlike most other organs, the liver receives blood from two sources: the hepatic artery supplies the liver with oxygen-rich blood from the heart, and the portal vein carries nutrient-rich blood from the gut.
You can not live without your liver. It has several important functions:
It breaks down and stores many of the nutrients absorbed from the intestine that your body needs to function. Some nutrients must be changed (metabolized) by the liver before they can be used by the rest of the body for energy or to build and repair body tissues.
It makes most of the clotting factors that prevent excessive bleeding when cut or injured.
Bile is secreted into the intestine to help absorb nutrients (especially fats).
Filter and decomposes toxic wastes in the blood, which are then removed from the body.
The liver consists mainly of cells called hepatocytes. It also consists of other types of cells, including the cells that line blood vessels and the cells lining the small tubes called bile ducts of the liver. The bile ducts outside the liver spread and carry bile from the liver to the gallbladder or directly to the intestines.
These different types of cells in the liver can form various types of (non-cancerous) benign malignant (cancerous). These tumors have different causes, are treated differently and have a different prognosis (outlook).
Benign liver tumors
Benign tumors sometimes grow large enough to cause problems, but they do not grow in the near or spread to distant parts of the body tissues. If need be treated, the patient can be cured with surgery.
Benign tumors sometimes grow large enough to cause problems, but they do not grow in the near or spread to distant parts of the body tissues. If need be treated, the patient can be cured with surgery.
Hemangioma
The most common type of benign liver tumor, hemangiomas start in blood vessels. Most hemangiomas of the liver cause no symptoms and need no treatment. But some may bleed and need to be surgically removed.
The most common type of benign liver tumor, hemangiomas start in blood vessels. Most hemangiomas of the liver cause no symptoms and need no treatment. But some may bleed and need to be surgically removed.
Hepatic adenoma
Hepatic adenoma is a benign tumor of the hepatocytes (the main type of liver cells). Most cause no symptoms and need no treatment. But some eventually cause symptoms, such as pain or lump in the abdomen (stomach area) or blood loss. Because there is the risk that the tumor may break (leading to severe loss of blood) and a small risk that over time could become liver cancer, most experts usually advise surgery to remove the tumor, if possible.
The use of certain medications can increase the risk of these tumors. Women have a greater chance of having one of these tumors if they take birth control pills, although this is rare. Men who use anabolic steroids may also develop these tumors. Adenomas may shrink when the drugs are stopped.
Hepatic adenoma is a benign tumor of the hepatocytes (the main type of liver cells). Most cause no symptoms and need no treatment. But some eventually cause symptoms, such as pain or lump in the abdomen (stomach area) or blood loss. Because there is the risk that the tumor may break (leading to severe loss of blood) and a small risk that over time could become liver cancer, most experts usually advise surgery to remove the tumor, if possible.
The use of certain medications can increase the risk of these tumors. Women have a greater chance of having one of these tumors if they take birth control pills, although this is rare. Men who use anabolic steroids may also develop these tumors. Adenomas may shrink when the drugs are stopped.
Focal nodular hyperplasia
Focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) is like a tumor composed of several cell types (hepatocytes, bile duct cells, and connective tissue cells) growth. Although FNH tumors are benign, it can be difficult to distinguish from true liver cancers, and doctors sometimes remove them when the diagnosis is unclear. If you have symptoms of an FNH tumor can be removed surgically.
Both hepatic adenomas and FNH tumors are more common in women than in men.
Focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) is like a tumor composed of several cell types (hepatocytes, bile duct cells, and connective tissue cells) growth. Although FNH tumors are benign, it can be difficult to distinguish from true liver cancers, and doctors sometimes remove them when the diagnosis is unclear. If you have symptoms of an FNH tumor can be removed surgically.
Both hepatic adenomas and FNH tumors are more common in women than in men.
Types of primary liver cancer
A cancer that originates in the liver is called primary liver cancer. There are more than one type of primary liver cancer.
A cancer that originates in the liver is called primary liver cancer. There are more than one type of primary liver cancer.
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)
This is the most common form of liver cancer in adults. It is also sometimes called hepatoma. On May 4 cancers that start in the liver are this type.
Hepatocellular cancer (HCC) can have different growth patterns:
Some begin as a single tumor that grows larger. Only late in the disease did not spread to other parts of the liver.
A second type seems to start as many small cancer nodules throughout the liver, not just a single tumor. This is seen most often in people with cirrhosis (chronic liver damage) and is the most common pattern seen in the United States.
Under the microscope, doctors can distinguish several subtypes of HCC. Very often these subtypes do not affect treatment or prognosis (outlook). But one of these subtypes, fibrolamellar is important to recognize. This type is rare, making up less than 1% of HCC. This type is more common in women under 35 years of age, and often the rest of the liver is not diseased. This subtype generally has a better prognosis than other forms of HCC.
Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (cancer of the bile ducts)
About 10% to 20% of cancers that start in the liver are intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. These cancers start in the cells lining the small bile ducts (tubes that carry bile from the gallbladder) within the liver. (Most cholangiocarcinomas actually start in the bile ducts outside the liver.)
Hemangiosarcoma and Angiosarcoma
These are rare cancers that begin in cells that line the blood vessels of the liver. People who have been exposed to vinyl chloride or to thorium (Thorotrast) emissions are more likely to develop these cancers. See "What are the risk factors for liver cancer?" Some other cases are believed to be caused by exposure to arsenic or radio, or an inherited condition called hereditary hemochromatosis. In about half of all cases, there is no probable cause can be identified.
These tumors grow rapidly and are usually too widespread to be surgically removed at the time found. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy may help slow the disease, but these cancers are often very difficult to treat. These cancers are treated as other sarcomas.
This is the most common form of liver cancer in adults. It is also sometimes called hepatoma. On May 4 cancers that start in the liver are this type.
Hepatocellular cancer (HCC) can have different growth patterns:
Some begin as a single tumor that grows larger. Only late in the disease did not spread to other parts of the liver.
A second type seems to start as many small cancer nodules throughout the liver, not just a single tumor. This is seen most often in people with cirrhosis (chronic liver damage) and is the most common pattern seen in the United States.
Under the microscope, doctors can distinguish several subtypes of HCC. Very often these subtypes do not affect treatment or prognosis (outlook). But one of these subtypes, fibrolamellar is important to recognize. This type is rare, making up less than 1% of HCC. This type is more common in women under 35 years of age, and often the rest of the liver is not diseased. This subtype generally has a better prognosis than other forms of HCC.
Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (cancer of the bile ducts)
About 10% to 20% of cancers that start in the liver are intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. These cancers start in the cells lining the small bile ducts (tubes that carry bile from the gallbladder) within the liver. (Most cholangiocarcinomas actually start in the bile ducts outside the liver.)
Hemangiosarcoma and Angiosarcoma
These are rare cancers that begin in cells that line the blood vessels of the liver. People who have been exposed to vinyl chloride or to thorium (Thorotrast) emissions are more likely to develop these cancers. See "What are the risk factors for liver cancer?" Some other cases are believed to be caused by exposure to arsenic or radio, or an inherited condition called hereditary hemochromatosis. In about half of all cases, there is no probable cause can be identified.
These tumors grow rapidly and are usually too widespread to be surgically removed at the time found. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy may help slow the disease, but these cancers are often very difficult to treat. These cancers are treated as other sarcomas.
Hepatoblastoma
This is a very rare kind of cancer that develops in children, usually in children under 4 years old. Hepatoblastoma cells are similar to fetal liver cells. About 2 in 3 children with these tumors are successfully treated with surgery and chemotherapy, but the tumors are more difficult to treat if they have spread outside the liver.
This is a very rare kind of cancer that develops in children, usually in children under 4 years old. Hepatoblastoma cells are similar to fetal liver cells. About 2 in 3 children with these tumors are successfully treated with surgery and chemotherapy, but the tumors are more difficult to treat if they have spread outside the liver.
Secondary liver cancer
Most of the time when cancer is found in the liver that did not start there but has spread (metastasized) from another part of the body such as the pancreas, colon, stomach, breast or lung. Because this cancer has spread from its original site (primary), it is a secondary liver cancer. These tumors are named and treated according to their primary site (where they started). For example, cancer that started in the lung and spread to the liver is called lung cancer spread to the liver, not liver cancer, and treated as lung cancer.
In the United States and Europe, the tumors (metastasis) of secondary liver are more common than primary liver cancer. The opposite is true for many areas of Asia and Africa.
Most of the time when cancer is found in the liver that did not start there but has spread (metastasized) from another part of the body such as the pancreas, colon, stomach, breast or lung. Because this cancer has spread from its original site (primary), it is a secondary liver cancer. These tumors are named and treated according to their primary site (where they started). For example, cancer that started in the lung and spread to the liver is called lung cancer spread to the liver, not liver cancer, and treated as lung cancer.
In the United States and Europe, the tumors (metastasis) of secondary liver are more common than primary liver cancer. The opposite is true for many areas of Asia and Africa.
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