MAIN Health Diseases Cancer Liver Cancer

One of the most serious forms of cancer, liver cancer that begins in the liver itself is known as "primary" liver cancer.

Since the liver is also the body's main organ for filtering out harmful wastes from the bloodstream, however, it is also the area where cancer has often mestastasized, or spread from another part of the body.

Common symptoms of liver cancer begin as tenderness around the abdomen, (especially the upper right part where the liver is located) and, as the disease progresses, a yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes becomes a clear signal of jaundice - a condition signaling a backup of bile that the liver is normally capable of processing.

Studies show that major risk factors for primary liver cancer include liver scarring brought about by other liver diseases such as hepatitis B virus.and cirrhosis, the latter typically caused by alcohol abuse.

The most common form of liver cancer in adults is called hepatocellular carcinoma which begins in the hepatocytes, or main type of liver cell. Treatment of liver cancer depends on how early the disease is diagnosed, the size of the tumor, or whether cirrhosis is a complicating factor.

Patients with small liver tumors - and without the added burden of cirrhosis - are more easily treated with modern techniques such as radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and other therapies. For larger tumors, or if there is cirrhosis present, most surgeons recommend a complete liver transplant as the main course of treatment.

More about liver cancer around the Web:

On the Web, find out more about liver cancer diagnosis and screening, symptoms and prognosis, treatment options & current survival rates, plus information on current clinical trials that are bringing new hope to liver cancer patients and their families ....

Liver Cancer Home Page - National Cancer Institute - Comprehensive facts & information on causes and risks in children & adults, cryosurgery treatment, targeted cancer therapies and metatastic cancer, screening and diagnosing, how to locate clinical trials, related research and statistics.

Liver Cancer - A guide to the topic from the American Cancer Society with information on causes, risk factors and treatment, survival rates, questions to ask your doctor, follow-up care and links to related resources.

LiverTumor.org - Patient guide featuring news updates on liver cancer research, plus clear and concise information on symptoms, prognosis, progression of primary & metastatic liver cancer, treatment options, related glossary.

Hepatocellular Carcinoma (Liver Cancer) - Extensive FAQ with answers to questions on risk factors, symptoms & diagnoses including information on blood tests, imaging studies and liver biopsy, treatment therapies such as chemotherapy, chemoembolization, ablation techniques, proton beam therapy and surgery, with related links to more information.

Liver Biopsy - Brief, illustrated fact sheet with information on the diagnostic procedure plus advice on preparation and recovery time, with related links.

Radiofrequency Ablation of Liver Tumors - Clear guide to the RFA procedure with information on preparation, what to expect and how it is is performed, its benefits and risks, with a searchable database of radiation oncologists in the U.S., related links.

ClinicalTrials.gov - Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - Listings of current clinicial trials for experimental liver cancer treatments with information on U.S. locations & contact details, enrollment criteria.

This information is intended as reference and not as medical advice.
All treatment decisions should be made by medical professionals.