The Liver, reddish brown in colour, lives on the right side of the abdominal cavity. The liver breaks down fat, produces cholesterol, produces urea (urine) and acts as an alcohol or poison filter for the blood. What is Liver Cancer ? There are two types of liver cancer - Primary and Secondary liver cancer. Primary liver cancer (Hepatoma) - cancer which starts in the liver. Secondary liver cancer (Metastic) - More common cancer which spreads to the liver from somewhere else in the body. Types of Liver Cancer ? The majority of Primary liver cancers are called hepatocellular carcinoma. Secondary liver cancer is referred to as metastic liver cancer. Affects who? Mainly adults between the ages of 40 and 60. Frequency? More frequent in Asian countries because of its' close link to Hepatitis B infection. The causes of Liver Cancer ? - Chronic alcohol consumption. - Cirrhosis of the liver. - Rare number of liver cancers are hereditary (hereditary hemochromatosis). - Hepatitis B (HBV) can cause liver cancer. - Hepatitis C (HCV) can cause liver cancer. - Aflatoxin B1. This is a chemical found in mold (from hot and humid environments) in foods such as peanuts, rice and wheat. The Symptoms ? Primary and Secondary liver cancer symptoms are very similar. Quite often there is no pain because there are no nerve endings in the liver. The pain is usually from the liver getting bigger (stretching its covering which has nerves). - Common symptoms. Sickness, loss of appetite, tiredness and loss of weight. - Other symptoms. Swollen abdomen (abdominal pain), Yellow skins and whites of the eye (caused by the bile duct being blocked by cancer - this is called jaundice), itchy skin (similar to jaundice but the waste products are collected in the skin). Diagnosis of Liver Cancer ? The following tests may be carried out: - The alph-fetoprotein (AFP) blood test. High blood levels of AFP may indicate liver cancer, testes cancer or ovarian cancer, and may indicate the size of the cancer. - Blood and Urine tests. The Treatments ? - Operation. To remove cancerous sections of the liver. If it is a small cancer and on one side of the liver, then half of the liver may be removed by surgery. If it is a big cancer or is on both sides of the liver, then surgery cannot be carried out. The last-case scenario is a liver transplant. - Chemotherapy. Less effective for liver cancer. - Proton beam therapy. Less effective for liver cancer.