What Are Various Forms of Liver Cancer?

Published on : 03-09-2023

There are various varieties of liver tumors, and each type has different causes, treatment choices and prognosis (outlook) for the patient These variations are useful for clinicians in selecting the most appropriate therapy for a given liver tumor

Hepatocellular carcinoma, or HCC, is the most common form of primary liver cancer and accounts for nearly three-fourths of all liver tumors identified in adults. Even kids can get it. In addition to hepatitis B and C, cirrhosis of the liver, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, hepatitis B and C are also associated with an increased risk of liver cancer

Additional kinds of primary liver cancer are bile duct cancer, extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and hepatoblastoma Rare bile duct cancers develop when normally functioning cells in the bile ducts undergo malignant transformation and expand out of control The best hope for a cure is surgical excision of these malignancies.

Liver cancer is characterized by loss of appetite and weight gain, exhaustion, and nausea or vomiting, as described by Samson T. Jacob. These symptoms may be worse if the cancer is in an advanced stage and not responding to treatment Additional symptoms can include fever, swollen veins in the belly, or irregular bruising or bleeding.

The condition of your liver will be evaluated using laboratory testing and imaging studies They include an MRI, CT scan or ultrasound exam. A small sample of tissue or fluid may need to be taken so your doctor may examine it under a microscope This procedure is called a biopsy

Secondary liver cancer is a situation in which a cancer that has started elsewhere in the body, such as in the lung, colon or breast, spreads to the liver Metastatic cancer is the name for this advanced stage of liver cancer. Secondary liver cancer is more challenging to treat and has a shorter life expectancy than original liver cancer

Hepatocellular carcinoma and hepatoblastoma are the most frequent kinds of primary liver cancer, and are usually identified when persons are being evaluated for problems due to hepatitis B or C, or for cirrhosis They typically strike individuals in their latter years and are more common in males than women.