Primary liver cancer is a cancer that starts in the liver. If a cancer starts elsewhere and spreads to the liver this is called secondary liver cancer. Most people in the UK with cancer in the liver have secondary liver cancer.

Primary liver cancers are uncommon in the UK, with less than 1,000 new cases each year.

There are several types of primary liver cancer that may affect adults. Most of these are extremely rare. The type of primary liver cancer depends on which cells and tissues in the liver have become abnormal.

Liver cells make up most of the liver tissue. Cancer in these cells is called hepatocellular carcinoma. This is the most common type of primary liver cancer and makes up 8 out of 10 cases. It is often associated with previous liver damage such as that caused by cirrhosis or hepatitis infection.

One type of hepatocellular carcinoma isn't associated with previous liver damage. This is called fibrolamellar cancer of the liver. It tends to occur in people at a younger age than other hepatocellular carcinomas. This type make up about 1 in 10 cases of primary liver cancer.

Cancer can develop in the lining of bile ducts within the liver. This is called cholangiocarcinoma.

Sometimes both the liver cells and bile duct cells are abnormal. This is called mixed hepatocellular cholangiocarcinoma.

There are also some much rarer forms of primary liver cancer, which start in other tissues in the liver.

The liver is supported by connective tissue. If connective tissue cells become cancerous this is called sarcoma.

There are many blood vessels within the liver. If cells in the lining of blood vessels become abnormal this can cause haemangioendothelioma of the liver or angiosarcoma of the liver.

Lymphoma of the liver can develop if cells which protect the liver against infection (immune cells) become abnormal.

Sometimes the cancer cells have become so abnormal it is not possible to be sure what type of cell they originally developed from. These are called undifferentiated liver cancers.