Liver cancer

What is liver cancer?

Cancer that starts in the liver is called liver cancer¹
The liver is the largest internal organ in the body and is involved in digestion, the breakdown of waste products, and blood clotting¹
Secondary liver cancer develops when cancer cells from another type of cancer, e.g. breast cancer, travel to the liver via the bloodstream²

Types of liver cancer

There are several different kinds of liver cancer: hepatocellular carcinoma, intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, angiosarcoma and haemangiosarcoma, and hepatoblastoma¹
Hepatocellular carcinoma is by far the most common type¹

Who gets liver cancer?

Liver cancer mostly affects people aged 60 years or older;² hepatoblastoma is a very rare kind of cancer in children¹
Many cases of liver cancer are linked to cirrhosis; heavy drinking, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and hepatitis B and C can all lead to cirrhosis³
It is the 6th most common cancer worldwide⁴
782,000 new cases were diagnosed worldwide in 2012⁴

Screening, detection, and diagnosis

People at high risk of developing liver cancer can be screened using ultrasound scans and a blood test for a protein called alphafetoprotein⁵
The following tests are used for diagnosis :⁵
- CT and MRI scans
- Biopsy
- Laparoscopy

Patient guidelines

A patient guideline is a document containing information for patients and their families about their disease and the treatment options available to them

Click here to see the European patient guideline on your condition⁶

Local support groups

Contacting a support group may help you during diagnosis and treatment and afterwards

Infographics

Click here for information on the incidence of liver cancer in Europe⁷

Glossary