Words to know: Liver cancer
- Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)
- The most common type of cancer that starts in the liver.
- Cirrhosis
- Long-term scarring of the liver that makes it work less well.
- Hepatitis B and C
- Viruses that infect the liver and can cause long-term damage and cancer.
- Fatty liver disease
- Extra fat in the liver that can lead to swelling and scarring. Doctors may call it MASLD or MASH.
- Surveillance
- Regular checks, such as an ultrasound every 6 months, to find cancer early in people at high risk.
- AFP (alpha-fetoprotein)
- A protein made by some liver cancers that can be measured in the blood.
- LI-RADS
- A system radiologists use to score liver spots seen on CT or MRI.
- Child-Pugh class
- A score (A, B, or C) of how well the liver is working.
- BCLC staging
- Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer staging. It uses tumor size, liver health, and daily function to guide treatment.
- Resection
- Surgery to remove part of an organ.
- Ablation
- Destroying a tumor with heat, cold, or alcohol through a needle.
- TACE
- Transarterial chemoembolization. Chemotherapy is sent into the liver tumor's blood vessel, which is then blocked.
- Y-90 radioembolization
- Tiny radioactive beads sent through the blood vessels to treat a liver tumor.
- Milan criteria
- Limits on tumor size and number used to decide who can have a liver transplant for cancer.
- Bridging therapy
- Treatment to control the cancer while waiting for a liver transplant.
- Varices
- Swollen veins in the food pipe or stomach caused by liver scarring. They can bleed.
- Ascites
- Fluid that builds up in the belly.
- Hepatic encephalopathy
- Confusion or sleepiness caused by toxins the liver cannot clear.
- Bilirubin
- A yellow waste product cleared by the liver. High levels cause yellow skin and eyes.
- Portal vein
- The large vein that brings blood to the liver. Tumors can grow into it.
- Immunotherapy
- Medicine that helps the immune system find and attack cancer.
- Targeted therapy
- Medicine that blocks specific signals cancer cells use to grow.
- Metastatic
- Cancer that has spread from where it started to other parts of the body.
Last updated: 2026-10-27. Medically reviewed by Veli Bakalov, MD, medical oncologist (October 2026). General education from Step by Step, the patient portal of HemeOncBuddy.