• Primary cancer – is a cancer arising from the liver and may spread to other organs. Also known as hepatocellular carcinoma
• Secondary cancer – is when cancer cells travel from another affected organ to the liver because of the role the liver plays in filtering blood. Some of the most common cancers that spread to the liver are from the colon, pancreas, stomach, lung and breast.

Types of Primary Liver Cancer

There are two types of primary liver cancer:

1. Hepatocellular Carcinoma or Hepatoma - is the most common form of primary liver cancer that occurs mostly in adults. When it occurs in children or teens, hepatocellular carcinoma is known as hepatoblastoma or fibrolamellar hepatoma. Hepatocellular carcinoma develops within the hepatocytes, and usually confines itself to the liver and rarely spreads to other organs. It occurs mostly in men and patients that suffer from cirrhosis.

2. Cholangiocarcinomas or Bile Duct Cancer - is a form of primary liver cancer that develops in the small bile ducts within the liver. This type of cancer is more common among women.


The following two types of cancer described below do not occur within the liver tissue, but develop within the liver's blood vessels.

1. Angiosarcoma is a form of cancer that develops in the blood vessels within the liver. Unfortunately, this type of cancer progresses extremely fast and many patients die not long after the initial diagnosis (in less than 6 months).

2. Hemangiosarcoma is a rare form of cancer that occurs in the blood vessels within the liver cancer. This type of cancer is common among children younger than 4 years old, and it can be treated effectively if it is diagnosed in early stages. The survival rate is higher than 90 percent.

Updated:: 14/03/2019 []