The liver is the largest organ in the body and it carries out many vital functions. These include:
- digesting proteins and fats,
- removing toxins from the body,
- producing chemicals that stop the blood clotting, and
- releasing bile in order to aid digestion.
Liver cancer is a serious condition because the disruption, or loss, of any of these functions could prove fatal.
Primary liver cancer
Cancer that begins in the liver is known as primary liver cancer. The leading cause of primary liver cancer is hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This is cancer that begins in the main liver cells, known as hepatocytes.
HCC is responsible for 1,500 deaths in the UK each year. It is more common among men, and those over the age of 60 are more likely to be affected by it.
Another type of primary liver cancer is cholangiocarcinoma, which is also known as cancer of the bile duct.
Secondary liver cancer
Most cases of liver cancer are known as secondary. If you have secondary cancer of the liver, it means that the cancer started somewhere else in your body before spreading (metastasising) to your liver.
The best ways to prevent HCC are to drink alcohol in moderation and avoid behaviour that increases the chance of you catching hepatitis C, such as injecting drugs and having unprotected sex.
