Liver cancer is also called malignant hepatoma or hepatocellular carcinoma. This type of cancer is not the same as a cancer which starts somewhere else in the body. Liver cancer represents an abnormal growth of cells that arise from the tissue of the liver. These abnormal cells continue to divide to make more cells, even though the body does not need the new cells. After a while, the accumulation of unneeded new cells results in a mass of extra tissue called a growth or tumor.
Liver tumors can develop anywhere body of the liver.
Cancerous or malignant tumors often outgrow their original site and spread to nearby tissues or organs by entering the bloodstream or lymphatic system. The spread of cancer cells to other areas is called metastasis. The liver is often a common site to which other cancers spread. Liver cancer is uncommon, affecting about 5,000 Americans each year. The cause of liver cancer is only partially understood.