Newly Diagnosed with Liver Cancer?
start your cancer education here
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with liver cancer, it's important to gather as much information as possible to navigate your cancer journey effectively. At American Cancer Fund, our goal is to provide you with essential knowledge about liver cancer such as symptoms, risk factors, and the latest research advancements to help you become an active participant in your care.
What is Liver Cancer?
Your liver is the largest organ inside your body. It helps your body digest food, store energy, and remove poisons. Primary liver cancer starts in the liver. Metastatic liver cancer starts somewhere else and spreads to your liver.
Your liver is a football-sized organ that sits in the upper right portion of your abdomen, beneath your diaphragm and above your stomach.
The most common form of liver cancer is hepatocellular carcinoma, which begins in the main type of liver cell (hepatocyte). Other types of cells in the liver can develop cancer, but these are much less common.
Not all cancers that affect the liver are considered liver cancer. Cancer that begins in another area of the body — such as the colon, lung or breast — and then spreads to the liver is called metastatic cancer rather than liver cancer. This type of cancer is named after the organ in which it began — such as metastatic colon cancer to describe cancer that begins in the colon and spreads to the liver.
Feel prepared for every appointment
Carrying the right information can empower you during your cancer care journey. Use these tools to help organize this information so you can be an active participant in your cancer care.
Keep them handy for use at home and bring them along to your doctor visits and other medical appointments.