International Liver Cancer Association (ILCA) Avenue de
Tervueren, 300 +32 (0)2 789 2345 +32 (0)2 743 1550 What is liver
cancer? Liver cancer is defined by an abnormal and uncontrolled
growth of cells within the liver. These altered cells
progressively substitute the normal cells, collapsing the normal
function of the liver, and invading other organs. These events
irremediably lead to the death of the patients affected from
this disease. We should distinguish liver cancer from benign
tumors, that are also the result of an altered cellular growth,
but they lack the invasiveness capacities of the malignant
tumors (cancer). Therefore, the prognosis of benign tumors is
excellent and in the majority of cases there is no need of
treating them. A relative has been diagnosed with liver
metastases. Is it liver cancer? Briefly, there are two main
types of liver cancer: Primary liver cancer, which appear from
the cells that are normally located in the liver, and secondary
liver cancer (also known as metastases), that is