Reviewed by:
Suzi Grogan, Cancer Nurse, The Cancer Council Victoria RN, BN, MN (Research)
Liver cancer is also known as hepatocellular cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma or hepatoma.
The liver is a large organ between the chest and the stomach area. It's important for a number of functions in the body, including removing potential poisons from the blood, controlling the way the body stores nutrients, and making bile, which is important for digestion.
Liver cancer is cancer that begins and grows somewhere in the liver.
Some cancers that grow in other organs spread to the liver. These cancers are known as secondaries and are different from cancer that begins in the liver (primary liver cancer).
Liver cancer is uncommon. Around 260 people are affected by this cancer each year in Victoria.
Liver cancer is often caused by damage to the liver due to
Symptoms of liver cancer often don't appear in the early stages. There are few nerves through the liver, so pain is not felt.
In later stages, liver cancer can cause an ache in the upper abdomen or back. Other symptoms are loss of appetite and loss or weight (particularly loss of muscle in the arms and legs), nausea and jaundice.
If you have one of these symptoms, but have not been diagnosed with this cancer, remember that it's rare, and your symptom is likely to be due to something else. However, see your doctor if you have any symptom that persists for more than 2 weeks. Do not delay seeing a doctor if you have any signs of jaundice or unexplained loss of muscle in the arms and legs.
