Primary liver cancer starts in the liver. If a cancer starts elsewhere and spreads to the liver this is called a secondary liver cancer.
Primary liver cancers are quite uncommon in the UK, with less than 1,000 new cases each year.
There are a range of possible treatments in this situation.
These include:
- Tumour ablation
- Laser or radiofrequency (thermal) ablation
- Chemotherapy
- Radiotherapy
- Chemoembolisation
- Cryosurgery
You can read about these in detail in the treatments for primary liver cancer section of our website.
Usually these types of treatment will only help to reduce the size of the cancer, and keep it under control for a period of time. Very occasionally with small cancers, they may lead to a cure.
The choice of treatment depends, among other things, on the position and size of the cancer. A cancer specialist can advise on the best options for each individual person.