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Liver tumors can be benign or cancerous, with treatments including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. Signs of a liver tumor include abdominal pain, jaundice, and an enlarged liver. Causes are not well understood, but inflammation and liver disease increase the risk. Early detection is key for a better prognosis.
A liver tumor is an abnormal growth of cells in or on the liver. Tumors in or on the liver can be benign or cancerous. When they are identified, laboratory testing is usually recommended to learn more about the nature of the tumor and develop an appropriate treatment plan for the patient. Treatments for a liver tumor may include surgery to remove the growth, along with chemotherapy and radiation to target and kill cancer cells in the body with the goal of preventing or stopping metastatic cancers.
Benign liver tumors include liver adenomas, focal nodular hyperplasia, and hemangiomas. Malignant tumors of the liver are commonly metastatic tumors that originate elsewhere in the body, but people can also develop cholangiocarcinomas and hepatoblastomas, along with other cancers that arise in liver cells. The prognosis for a patient with a liver tumor varies depending on the size, type, and precise location of the tumor. The sooner the growth is captured, the more likely the patient is to survive the treatment.
Signs of a liver tumor may include abdominal pain, jaundice, and hepatomegaly, an enlarged liver that may be palpable. Medical imaging studies can be used to examine the liver and identify areas of abnormal growth. Biopsies can be taken surgically or by fine-needle aspiration to collect cells for examination under a microscope. A pathologist can examine cells to determine their origin and nature.
If surgery is recommended for a liver tumor, the patient will be placed under general anesthesia while the surgeon resections the tumor. Typically, an attempt is made to remove clean margins to ensure that the entire growth is successfully extracted. After surgery, further treatment options can be discussed if there is concern about the malignancy. In the case of metastatic tumors, treatments may be more supportive than curative in nature if the tumor is well distributed throughout the patient’s body.
The causes of liver tumors are not well understood. Like other cancers, they develop when cell division is rampant. One potential cause is inflammation and irritation in the liver, as this tends to increase turnover between liver cells and can allow cancer cells to thrive. People with a history of liver disease may be at higher risk of developing liver tumors, as are alcoholics and people who have stressed their liver with other substances. Healthy individuals can also develop cancer, especially since many cancers spread easily and quickly to the liver.
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