Structure and Function of Liver
The liver is the largest internal organ, located just below your right lung and under your right ribs. It consists of two lobes (sections) and is mainly made up of cells called hepatocytes. There are also cells that line the blood vessels and cells that make up the bile ducts. The bile ducts carry bile from the liver to the gall bladder or directly to the intestines.
You cannot live without your liver because it has many important functions:
It breaks down and stores the nutrients your body needs to function.
It produces factors that help the blood to clot.
It transmits bile to the intestines to help absorb nutrients.
It removes alcohol, drugs and toxic waste from the body.
Types of Liver Cancer
Different cell types in the liver can form various types of malignant (cancerous) and benign (non-cancerous) tumours. These tumours have different causes, treatment methods and prognoses.
Primary Liver Cancer
Cancer that starts in the liver is called primary liver cancer and there are several different types:
Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC)
It is the most common type of liver cancer.
It usually develops on the background of liver cirrhosis.
There are different subtypes of HCC, one of which, the fibrolamellar variant, is rarer and usually occurs in women under 35 years of age. It may have a better prognosis than other types of HCC.
Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma
It starts in the small bile ducts in the liver.
It accounts for 10 to 20 per cent of liver cancers.
For more information about this type, you can visit our Bile Duct Cancer page.
Extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma
It is a type of cancer that starts outside the liver, in the bile ducts.
It is divided into proximal extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (Klatskin tumour) and distal extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.
Cholangiolocellular Carcinoma
It is a subtype of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas.
It originates from hepatic progenitor cells and contains two to three different cancer cell areas.
Combined Hepatocellular-Cholangiocarcinoma (HCC-CC)
It originates from both hepatocyte and cholangiocyte progenitor cells.
It has a worse prognosis than cholangiolocellular carcinoma.
Angiosarcoma and Haemangiosarcoma
They are rare cancers that start in the cells lining the blood vessels of the liver.
These cancers grow rapidly and usually cannot be removed surgically.
For more information, see Soft Tissue Sarcoma.
Hepatoblastoma
It is a rare type of cancer that develops in children, especially in children under 4 years of age.
It can be treated with surgery and chemotherapy.
Secondary Liver Cancer (Metastatic Liver Cancer)
Most of the time, cancer in the liver does not start there. It spreads to the liver from another part of the body. This type of cancer is called secondary (metastatic) liver cancer.
These cancers are named and treated according to their original site. For example, cancer that starts in the lung and spreads to the liver is called lung cancer that spreads to the liver, not liver cancer.
Colorectal Cancer Metastasis
Neuroendocrine Cancer (Carcinoid) Metastasis
Sarcomas (Leiomyosarcoma and GIST)
Breast Cancer Metastasis
Melanoma Metastasis
Stomach and Pancreatic Cancer Metastasis
Kidney Cancer Metastasis
Oesophageal Cancer Metastasis
Lung Cancer Metastasis
Skin Cancer Metastasis
Ovarian Cancer Metastasis
Uterine Cancer Metastasis
In patients without liver cirrhosis, metastatic liver cancer is 30 times more common than primary liver cancer. Metastatic liver cancers are treated according to the type of the original tumour and the way it has spread.
Benign Liver Tumours
Benign tumours usually do not cause serious health problems and do not spread. However, in some cases they may require treatment:
Haemangioma
It is the most common benign tumour of the liver.
Most do not cause symptoms and do not require treatment.
Hepatic Adenoma
It is a benign tumour originating from hepatocytes.
In some cases, it may cause symptoms such as pain or blood loss.
Focal Nodular Hyperplasia (FNH)
It is a tumour-like growth composed of various cell types.
It can cause symptoms and may require surgical intervention when the diagnosis is unclear.
Conclusion
Liver cancer is a complex disease with different types and treatment methods. It is important to see your doctor regularly for early diagnosis and the right treatment options. You can browse the links below to learn more about this topic and read our other blog posts:
Remember, knowledge about liver cancer is of great importance in terms of treatment and prognosis.
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