There are several types of lumps or tumours that can form in the liver. Many are benign (not cancer) and these are quite common. However, some liver tumours are malignant (cancers) that begin in the liver and some are cancers from other organs that have spread to the liver.

Below are many of the more common types of tumours or lumps found in the liver:

Benign liver tumours and lumps:

• Adenoma – tumours of liver cells
• Focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) – nodules of liver cells
• Haemangioma– abnormal collection of blood vessels

Malignant tumours (cancers) of the liver:

• Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) – cancer of the liver cells
• Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma – cancer of the bile ducts within the liver

Cancers that may spread to the liver from other organs:

• Colon and rectum cancer
• Neuroendocrine cancer (NET)
• Pancreatic cancer
• Gastric cancer
• Breast cancer
• Melanoma
• GIST (gastrointestinal stromal tumour)
• Many other cancers

Test to diagnose liver tumours may include

• Ultrasound scan
• CT scan
• MRI scan
• Blood tests for tumour markers

The treatment required depends on the type of tumour within the liver. Many benign tumours are not harmful and require no treatment. Some benign tumours (such as adenomas) can cause problems such as bleeding or may have the potential to turn into a cancer, particularly if they are large. These are usually monitored with periodic scans (US, CT or MRI) or sometimes removed with surgery. In some cases, it is not possible to be certain what type of tumour or lump is present even after several tests, and these may also need to be monitored or removed. For cancers in the liver the treatment depends on the type of cancer and the stage of the disease (how far the cancer has spread).