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Causes
By Mayo Clinic staff
It's not clear what causes most cases of liver cancer. But in some cases, the cause is known. For instance, chronic infection with certain hepatitis viruses can cause liver cancer.
Liver cancer occurs when liver cells develop changes (mutations) in their DNA — the material that provides instructions for every chemical process in your body. DNA mutations cause changes in these instructions. One result is that cells may begin to grow out of control and eventually form a tumor — a mass of malignant cells.
Types of liver cancer
Primary liver cancer, which begins in the cells of the liver, is divided into different types based on the kind of cells that become cancerous. Types include:
- Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This is the most common form of primary liver cancer in both children and adults. It starts in the hepatocytes, the main type of liver cell.
- Cholangiocarcinoma. This type of cancer begins in the small tube-like bile ducts within the liver. This type of cancer is sometimes called bile duct cancer.
- Hepatoblastoma. This rare type of liver cancer affects children younger than 4 years of age. Most children with hepatoblastoma can be successfully treated.
- Angiosarcoma or hemangiosarcoma. These rare cancers begin in the blood vessels of the liver and grow very quickly.
- Marrero JA, et al. Modern diagnosis and management of hepatocellular carcinoma. Clinics in Liver Disease. 2009;13:233.
- What you need to know about liver cancer. National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/wyntk/liver/allpages/print. Accessed May 13, 2009.
- Weber S, et al. Liver and bile duct cancer. In: Abeloff MD, et al. Abeloff's Clinical Oncology. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone; 2008:1569.
- Hepatobiliary cancer. Fort Washington, Pa.: National Comprehensive Cancer Network. http://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/PDF/hepatobiliary.pdf. Accessed May 13, 2009.
- What is liver cancer? American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_1X_What_is_liver_cancer_25.asp?sitearea=. Accessed May 27, 2009.
- Liver cancer: Questions to ask the doctor. Cancer.Net. http://www.cancer.net/patient/Cancer+Types/Liver+Cancer. Accessed May 13, 2009.
- Nguyen CT, et al. Hepatitis vaccination and prophylaxis. Clinics in Liver Disease. 2009;13:317.
- Hepatitis C. American Liver Foundation. http://www.liverfoundation.org/education/info/hepatitisc/. Accessed May 27, 2009.
- Bruix J, et al. AASLD practice guideline: Management of hepatocellular carcinoma. Hepatology. 2005;42:1208.
