Only cancers that originate in the liver are called liver cancer. There is more than one type of liver cancer, the most common being hepatocarcinoma.

The liver is composed mainly of cells called hepatocytes. There are also other cells, such as those that cover the blood vessels or those that cover the small ducts through which bile circulates, called bile ducts.

Our body is made up of a set of organs, which in turn are made up of cells that divide regularly in order to replace those that have aged or died, thereby maintaining the integrity and proper functioning of the various organs.

This process is regulated by a series of mechanisms that signal to the cell when to start dividing and when to remain stable. When any of these control mechanisms is disturbed, cell proliferation gets out of control and cancer develops. Depending on the type of cell that is altered, several types of tumours can develop in the liver, which will have a different cause, treatment and prognosis.

Liver cancer in the early stages usually has no symptoms. The most common symptoms are loss of weight and appetite, vomiting, weakness, abdominal swelling, pain in the upper abdomen, jaundice and whitish stools.

Factors that increase the possibility of developing liver cancer include chronic infection whit hepatitis B virus or hepatitis C virus, cirrhosis, hereditary liver diseases (hemochromatosis and Wilson´s disease), diabetes and excessive alcohol cosumption, among others.

Treatment for liver cancer depends on the extend of the cancer. They may include surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted treatments, radiation therapy or a combination of these.