Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTypesSymptomsCausesRisk FactorsDiagnosisStagesTreatmentPreventionPrognosisCopingNext in Liver Cancer GuideSymptoms of Liver Cancer
Table of ContentsView All
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Table of Contents
Types
Symptoms
Causes
Risk Factors
Diagnosis
Stages
Treatment
Prevention
Prognosis
Coping
Next in Liver Cancer Guide
Liver cancer that begins in the liver is called primary liver cancer. Cancer that starts elsewhere and spreads (metastasizes) to your liver is more common.
A liver metastasis, the spread of cancer cells to the liver, contains the same type of cancer cells as the primary tumor. Breast cancer that spreads to your liver is called metastatic breast cancer, not liver cancer.
While there is no known cause for liver cancer, there are several known risk factors. There are many options for treatment, though. Tumor size and location affect your choices for treatment.
This article discusses liver cancer types, symptoms, causes, risk factors, diagnosis, and treatment.
Willie B. Thomas / Getty Images
Types of Liver Cancer
The five main types of primary liver cancer include the following:
What Does Your Liver Do?Your liver is the largest solid organ in your body. It performs more than 500 tasks. The most important responsibilities of your liver are filtering toxins out of your blood, storing energy in the form of glycogen (a sugar), and producing bile, a substance that aids in digestion.
What Does Your Liver Do?
Your liver is the largest solid organ in your body. It performs more than 500 tasks. The most important responsibilities of your liver are filtering toxins out of your blood, storing energy in the form of glycogen (a sugar), and producing bile, a substance that aids in digestion.
Liver Cancer Symptoms
Many commonsymptoms of liver cancerare not unique to this disease. Most symptoms don’t appear until the later stages of the disease, when a liver tumor develops. Having your symptoms diagnosed early allows you to get treatment when it can be most effective.
Common symptoms of liver cancer include the following:
Some liver tumors produce hormones that affect organs other than your liver. These hormones may cause the following symptoms, calledparaneoplasticsyndromes:
What Causes Liver Cancer?
The specificcauses of liver cancerare not known. Liver cancer occurs when a cell’s DNA changes so that it becomes cancerous. DNA contains the genes that tell cells how to grow, multiply, and die.
Abnormal liver cells begin to multiply uncontrollably and live longer than they should. These cancerous liver cells can spread into surrounding tissue and eventually travel to other parts of your body.
Risk Factors for Liver Cancer
Risk factors for liver cancer are behaviors, demographics, and physical characteristics that increase the possibility of developing liver cancer. Having risk factors doesn’t mean you will develop liver cancer, but it does make it more likely that it will occur. However, it is also possible to have liver cancer without having any known risk factors.
The following factors can increase your risk of developing liver cancer:
Having one of the following medical and genetic conditions may also increase your risk of liver cancer. These conditions include the following:
Who Gets Liver Cancer?Primary liver cancer most often occurs in people who are in their 60s and 70s.Most cases of liver cancer are diagnosed in people older than age 75. The disease is 3 times more common in men than women.Note that when health authorities are cited, the terms for gender and sex from the source are used.
Who Gets Liver Cancer?
Primary liver cancer most often occurs in people who are in their 60s and 70s.Most cases of liver cancer are diagnosed in people older than age 75. The disease is 3 times more common in men than women.Note that when health authorities are cited, the terms for gender and sex from the source are used.
Primary liver cancer most often occurs in people who are in their 60s and 70s.Most cases of liver cancer are diagnosed in people older than age 75. The disease is 3 times more common in men than women.
Note that when health authorities are cited, the terms for gender and sex from the source are used.
How Is Liver Cancer Diagnosed?
Diagnosis of liver cancerusually involves a physical examination and one or more special medical tests.
Physical examination: A physical examination for liver cancer involves taking your medical history and family history, and discussing your symptoms. Your healthcare provider also looks for signs of lumps, bumps, swelling, or jaundice, which might indicate liver disease.
Blood tests: Certain blood tests can help in the diagnosis of liver cancer, including:
Imaging tests:The following imaging tests may be used to diagnose liver cancer:
Biopsy:A biopsy removes a tissue sample to test for cancer. The following types ofliver biopsiescan be used in diagnosing liver cancer:
How Liver Elastography Test Works
Screening for Liver Cancer
Screening looks for indications of cancer in people who have no symptoms. This allows cancer to be detected early. People at average risk for liver cancer are not screened.
People at increased risk of liver cancer may be screened every six months with an alpha-fetoprotein blood test and ultrasound imaging. Conditions that elevate risk include cirrhosis, hereditary hemochromatosis, or chronic hepatitis B infection.
Does the Liver Regenerate (and When Doesn’t It)?
4 Stages of Liver Cancer
Cancer staging is a process that identifies how much liver cancer is in your body and where it is located at the time of your initial diagnosis.Your liver cancer’s initial staging category won’t change over time, even if your cancer improves or progresses. Rarely, cancer might be restaged after a period of remission.
In the United States, liver cancer is most often staged using the American Joint Committee on Cancer’s TNM system, which accounts for the following:
The four stages of liver cancer range from stage 1, which is the least advanced stage, to stage 4, the most advanced stage. Stages of liver cancer include the following:
Stage 1A:
Stage 1B:
Stage 2:
Stage 3A:
Stage 3B:
Stage 4A:
Stage 4B:
Liver Cancer Treatment
Surgery
Surgery is regarded as the best treatment option for liver cancer.
Liver Resection Surgery
Surgery is reserved for people with early-stage primary liver cancer whose tumors are limited to one area of the liver and have not spread to other areas. Surgical candidates must also have healthy liver function so the remaining portion of their liver can maintain normal operation after surgery.
People with liver cirrhosis may not be good candidates for liver surgery. To qualify for surgery, you must have at least 30% of liver function left after the tumor is removed. The liver can regrow to its normal size and function if it is healthy enough.
Minimally Invasive Liver Surgery
Minimally invasive liver surgery is performed with small incisions. It reduces side effects and recovery time. Laparoscopic hepatectomy is a liver resection performed laparoscopically, using a laparoscope, a long tool with a tiny video camera and a light on the end. The tool is inserted through the small incisions to reach your liver.
Liver Transplant Surgery
Liver transplant surgeryinvolves removing the entire diseased liver and replacing it with a healthy donor liver. When a donor liver is available, this type of surgery is reserved for people who have liver cancer with all the following characteristics:
Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy uses high-powered waves to break down and destroy the genetic material (DNA) inside liver cancer cells. It focuses radiation on cancer from a source outside the body. Radiation therapy can also relieve discomfort due to an enlarged liver or spleen.
One form of radiation therapy called radioembolization injects small radioactive beads into the hepatic artery, the main vessel that carries blood to the liver. The beads lodge in the liver near the tumor and release small amounts of radiation that travel only a short distance to relieve symptoms.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy involves using drugs that destroy tumor cells in different ways. A combination of two or three drugs can destroy or slow the progression of cancer cells.
Immunotherapy
Localized Treatments
Localized treatments are administered directly to the liver cancer cells. Localized treatments for liver cancer include the following:
Targeted Drug Therapy
Targeted drug therapy interferes with substances needed for cancer to grow. These drugs can destroy cancer cells without harming healthy cells. Targeted drug therapy is used for liver cancer that has spread to other organs. It can also treat tumors too large for surgery or those too close to vital blood vessels.
The following drugs are used in targeted drug therapy for liver cancer:
Can You Prevent Liver Cancer?
While it’s not possible to prevent liver cancer, you can take steps to reduce your risk of getting diseases known to make your liver vulnerable to liver cancer.
Hepatitis B Vaccine
Thehepatitis B vaccineis the best way to prevent hepatitis B, a viral infection of the liver that can lead to cirrhosis,liver failure, and liver cancer. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises the hepatitis B vaccine for the following groups:
The vaccine may also be administered to adults age 60 and older who do not have known risk factors for hepatitis B.
Reduce the Risk of Hepatitis C
If you are at risk of having hepatitis C, get tested. Treatments can cure most cases of hepatitis C in eight to 12 weeks.
Prevent Cirrhosis
Liver Cancer Prognosis
Yourliver cancer prognosisdescribes your likely outcome from cancer and cancer treatment. However, it’s important to remember that your prognosis is simply a calculated guess based on the experiences of large groups of people over many years.
Your prognosis depends on the following factors:
Survival rates tend to be best for people who have liver cancer found and treated in its earliest stages. The five-year survival rate for liver cancer in the United States is about 17%. However, when cancer is found before it spreads, the five-year survival rate for liver cancer is 31%.
Survival statistics do not represent individual cases. Discuss your prognosis with your healthcare provider.
Living With Liver Cancer: Support and Resources
While the physical aspects of living with liver cancer can be devastating, maintaining your overall emotional and mental wellness can be just as overwhelming. These challenges begin with your diagnosis and extend through your treatment and years into your survivorship.
Though you may feel alone, your healthcare provider can offer guidance in determining where to find the support you need. Don’t hesitate to accept support from family and friends who can assume caregiving roles when you need an extra hand.
The following organizations provide resources that range from patient education to cancer support groups:
Summary
Liver cancer includes cancers that affect your liver and bile ducts. Liver cancer can start in liver cells. More often, it occurs when cancer cells move to your liver from cancer in another part of your body.
Treatments for liver cancer vary based on the type of cancer you have and other unique factors about your health and disease. Starting treatment early can help you get the best outcomes. Consult with your healthcare provider if you’re at high risk for liver cancer so you can observe your liver health and catch problems early.
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