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Liver cancer

Liver cancer is abnormal cell growth in the liver. There are two types of cancer of the liver, primary and secondary. Primary cancer of the liver occurs when the cancer starts in the liver. Secondary cancer of the liver occurs when a cancer starts someplace else and spreads to the liver.

In the United States, primary liver cancer is very rare. However, in the rest of the world, it is a serious health problem. Risk factors for liver cancer include hepatitis B and hepatitis C infection, cirrhosis, and aflatoxins (a group of chemicals produced by a mold).

Early warning symptoms that should be medically evaluated include:

• a hard lump in the belly, located below the rib cage on the right side
• discomfort in the upper belly on the right side
• pain around the right shoulder blade
• yellowish color of the skin (jaundice) or
• abdominal swelling causing a feeling of fullness

With any of these symptoms, a person should have a complete physical exam. Special tests may also be needed, such as a CT scan, liver scan, or perhaps a liver biopsy. A liver biopsy requires the insertion of a needle into the liver to remove some tissue cells for testing.

Treatments for liver cancer include:

• chemotherapy, which uses special anticancer drugs to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors
• radiation therapy, which uses x-rays, or other high-energy rays, to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors
• hyperthermia therapy, which uses heat to kill cancer cells and
• biological therapy (immunotherapy), which uses alternative methods to get your body to fight the cancer

The type of treatment used depends on whether the cancer is primary or secondary and how advanced the liver cancer is. Surgery may be done to remove part or all of the liver. When part of the liver is removed, there is a possibility that the cancer may return. This happens especially if the cancer is secondary or has spread to the liver from someplace else. Liver cancer may even return after a new liver is transplanted.

Consult the UI Health Care Cancer Information Service for more information about this topic.

Last Reviewed 2005

Disclaimer: This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information provided is intended to be informative and educational and is not a replacement for professional medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.

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