Primary Liver Cancer

Not the best resource, but looks like a good summary
J
http://www.thehealthresource.com/can...er_cancer3.cfm


Overview of Liver Cancer
Types of Adult Liver Cancer:

Liver cancer is primarily adenocarcinoma, with 2 major cell types:
hepatocellular and cholangiocarcinoma.

* hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cell carcinoma)
* hepatocellular carcinoma (fibrolamellar)
* cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer)
* mixed hepatocellular cholangiocarcinoma
* undifferentiated liver cancer
* angiosarcoma
* sarcoma
* emangioendotheliomas
* hemangiosarcoma

Stages of Adult Liver Cancer:

For treatment purposes, adult liver cancer is grouped into four stages:

* Localized resectable - Cancer is in only one lobe of the liver and
can be completely removed through surgery.
* Localized unrectable - The cancer is in only one lobe of the liver
but cannot be completely removed through surgery.
* Advanced - The cancer has spread throughout both lobes of the liver
or to other parts of the body.
* Recurrent - Liver cancer that has come back after it has been
treated. It may recur in the liver or elsewhere in the body.

Types of Childhood Liver Cancer (Hepatoma)

* hepatoblastoma
* hepatocellular cancer

Stages of Childhood Liver Cancer:

Stage I
The cancer can be completely removed through surgery.

Stage II
Most of the cancer can be removed through surgery, but small, or
microscopic areas will remain.

Stage III
Some of the cancer can be surgically removed, but there be remaining
cancer in the abdomen or lymph nodes.

Stage IV
The cancer has spread to other parts of the body.

Recurrent

Liver cancer that has come back after treatment. It may recur in the liver
or elsewhere in the body.

Other Factors:

* People with the viral conditions known as hepatitis B or C or
cirrhosis of the liver are more likely than others to acquire adult
primary liver cancer.

* Certain blood tests, such as alpha-fetoprotein, or AFP may aid in
the diagnosis of primary liver cancer.

* Your liver cancer may be a single localized mass or contain multiple
cancerous lesions. It may be encapsulated or contain vascular invasion,
and may involve one lobe or both.

* The most common metastases of primary liver cancer occur in the
lungs or bones.


Grade of Liver Cancer:

Grade indicates how quickly or slowly cancer cells grow. The grade is
determined by the appearance of the cells under the microscope. Tumors are
graded on a scale of 1 to 3.

Grade 1 - cells look most like normal tissue (called well differentiated
or low-grade).

Grade 2 - cells look somewhat like normal tissue (called moderately well
differentiated or moderate grade).

Grade 3 - cells appear very abnormal (called poorly differentiated or
undifferentiated or high-grade). They are likely to grow more quickly and
more likely to spread.