Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is cancer in your liver. Although it is a life-threatening illness, catching it early can mean successful treatment with surgery or a liver transplant. Other treatments focus on easing your symptoms and helping you to live longer. People at risk for hepatocellular carcinoma should have regular checks for signs of cancer.
Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common form of liver cancer. It is a serious illness that can be life-threatening. If it diagnosed early, hepatocellular carcinoma can be treated with surgery to remove the cancerous tumor or with a liver transplant. Other treatments can shrink the tumor or slow its growth and relieve your symptoms. Hepatocellular carcinoma is linked to cirrhosis of the liver and non-alcohol related fatty liver disease (NAFLD). People who have cirrhosis or NAFLD should be regularly checked for signs of hepatocellular carcinoma.
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Over time, hepatocellular carcinoma can cause liver failure. Before that happens, however, hepatocellular carcinoma can keep your liver from managing your body’s vital functions. Among other things, your liver:
Men ages 60 and older are more likely to develop hepatocellular carcinoma than women and younger men.
With approximately six new cases a year per 100,000 people in the United States, hepatocellular carcinoma is considered a relatively rare form of cancer. Hepatocellular carcinoma accounts for about 85%-90% of all primary liver cancers, meaning cancers that start in your liver and not another area of your body.
There are several types of liver cancer. Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common form of liver cancer.
Surgery to remove your tumor or a liver transplant are the best options for a cure. If surgery is not an option, there are other treatments to ease your symptoms, slow the tumor’s growth and help you to live longer.
In the beginning, hepatocellular carcinoma grows very slowly. It can take years before you notice any symptoms. Hepatocellular carcinoma growth speeds up as it progresses.
Every case of hepatocellular carcinoma is different. Your prognosis — or expected outcome — depends on several factors. Talk to your healthcare provider about your individual situation. They’ll have specific insight into your condition and what you might expect.
There are many conditions with the same symptoms as hepatocellular carcinoma. Having one or more of these symptoms doesn’t mean you have hepatocellular carcinoma. But talk to your healthcare provider if you have these symptoms. They’ll identify and treat the condition that caused your symptoms. Potential hepatocellular symptoms include:
Cirrhosis of the liver is the most common cause of hepatocellular carcinoma. Increasingly, healthcare providers are seeing hepatocellular carcinoma cases in people who have non-alcohol related fatty liver disease (NAFLD). There are other medical conditions and activities that increase your risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma.
If you have or have had any of these illnesses, talk to your healthcare provider about being screened for hepatocellular cancer. If you smoke, have obesity or drink a lot of alcohol, your provider can help you improve your health and decrease your risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma.
Healthcare providers will do a medical examination and ask about your medical history, including past illnesses and activities that might increase your risk.
They might also do the following tests:
There are several ways to treat hepatocellular carcinoma. Your healthcare providers will develop a treatment plan that takes into account your overall health, whether your liver is working well and your tumor’s size.
Beyond that, they’ll talk to you about treatment goals, options and potential side effects. They want you to have a complete picture of your situation so you can feel confident about your decisions. Once they’ve shared information, they’ll ask about your personal preferences. Your final treatment plan will reflect your provider’s recommendations and your preferences.
The surgical treatments are hepatectomy and liver transplantation. Hepatectomies are usually done when your liver is working well and your tumor is limited to one part of your liver.
Other treatments are:
Fortunately, there are several ways you can reduce your risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma:
Having hepatitis C is a risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma. You could have hepatitis C without having symptoms or knowing you’ve been infected. Some activities and medical conditions increase your risk of hepatitis C infection. Talk to your healthcare provider if:
Researchers continue to search for ways to cure hepatocellular carcinoma. If your condition was diagnosed early on, you might be treated with surgery to remove the tumor. You might have a liver transplant. People whose condition was diagnosed later can still have treatment and support that helps them to live longer and to have a good quality of life.
It’s very hard to hear you have a life-threatening illness like hepatocellular carcinoma. It is completely normal to feel overwhelmed, anxious and even afraid. Give yourself and your loved ones some time to work through your initial emotions. Share your feelings with your healthcare provider. They’ll have suggestions to help you cope with your cancer diagnosis. Here’s some steps you can take:
Contact your provider if your existing symptoms get worse, or you notice new symptoms.
Hepatocellular carcinoma can cause unusual or excessive bleeding. Go to the emergency room or seek immediate medical attention if you begin to bleed from bumps and bruises, or from your rectum.
You will have different questions throughout your diagnosis and treatment. Some initial questions you might want to ask are:
A note from Cleveland Clinic
There isn’t an ideal way to cope with a life-threatening illness like hepatocellular carcinoma. But you can do things to help yourself and your loved ones through this difficult time. To feel more confident about your choices, take time to understand your treatment options and side effects. To feel less anxious, try meditation, deep breathing or gentle exercise. To avoid feeling isolated, share your experience with others going through the same thing — these conversations can help you and might help them.
Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 08/18/2021.
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Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy