The normal process in the human body of myriads of cells, growing, ageing, dying and being replaced goes on all the time. When this automatic control is interrupted or goes wrong, tumours may form in the liver. They may be benign or malignant. Benign liver tumours remain there, and do not spread to other parts of the body.
Usually they only grow for a limited amount of time and produce no symptoms. Malignant tumours are cells growing without control. These progress , to invade, erode or destroy normal, healthy tissue. Primary liver cancer is where the cancer has originated in the liver. This is called hepatoma.
Any disease that causes cirrhosis of the liver can lead to a hepatoma, but most usually this is caused by viral infections hepatitis B and C or excessive alcohol consumption/ The cancer forms where the liver has become scarred as a result of damage over a long period of time. Hematoma may rarely occur from a hereditary disease caused by an overload of iron in the body.
