Liver cancer

Need to Know

• Liver cancer symptoms icon plus

  With primary liver cancer, symptoms include:

  • loss of appetite and unexplained weight loss
  • feeling very full after eating, even small amounts
  • nausea and vomiting
  • pain or bloating in your tummy
  • jaundice (yellowing skin)
  • itchy skin
  • feeling tired and weak

  Most cases of primary liver cancer affect people with damage and scarring of the liver, called cirrhosis.
  With secondary liver cancer, symptoms can be similar to those of primary liver cancer, although often there are no symptoms at all.
  
  As these symptoms are quite vague and can often be caused by other conditions, it’s a good idea to get checked by your GP or consultant if you notice them.

• Liver cancer diagnosis icon plus

  In order to diagnose liver cancer, you may be given the following tests:

  • a physical examination to check for tenderness where the liver is, under the right-hand side of your rib cage
  • blood tests
  • liver ultrasound
  • CT scan
  • MRI scan
  • Liver biopsy (small needle used to take a sample of tissue) and your liver is then examined with a laparoscope (a thin tube with a tiny camera)

  People who are at a higher risk of liver cancer, especially those with cirrhosis, are often given regular check-ups, called ‘surveillance’. This helps doctors to diagnose the cancer as early as possible and gives a better chance for the treatment to be effective.

• Liver cancer treatment icon plus

  Primary liver cancer treatment depends on the size and stage of the cancer. Options may include:

  • surgical resection – removing a section of liver
  • liver transplant – replacing with a donor liver
  • microwave or radiofrequency ablation – using microwaves or radio waves to kill cancerous cells
  • chemotherapy – medicine to destroy the cancer cells
  • cyrotherapy – using extreme cold to attack abnormal tissue

  With secondary liver cancer, surgery may be an option, but chemotherapy is the most common treatment. This will depend on which parts of the liver are affected, where the primary cancer is and if the cancer has spread to other parts of the body.