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Sub-Category:

Liver Metastases

Sub-category: Liver Tumors

Symptoms:
jaundice; right upper quadrant pain; unintended weight loss; fatigue; loss of appetite; fever

Root Cause:
Secondary liver tumors arising from the spread of primary cancers, commonly from the colon, rectum, breast, pancreas, or lung.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Imaging studies (CT, MRI, PET scans), liver function tests, biopsy to confirm metastatic origin.

Treatment:
Systemic chemotherapy targeting the primary cancer, localized treatments such as radiofrequency ablation or TACE, surgical resection when feasible.

Medications:
Chemotherapeutic agents like 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), oxaliplatin , and irinotecan ; targeted therapies such as bevacizumab or cetuximab , depending on the primary cancer. These are classified as cytotoxic agents and monoclonal antibodies.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Liver metastases are more common than primary liver cancers; about 50% of patients with colorectal cancer develop liver metastases.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Primary cancer in organs with venous drainage to the liver, late-stage cancers, lack of primary cancer treatment.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Depends on the primary cancer and extent of liver involvement; potentially curative with localized therapies in selected cases, but overall poor prognosis for widespread disease.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Liver failure, biliary obstruction, infection, severe cachexia.

Benign Liver Tumors (e.g., Hemangioma, Focal Nodular Hyperplasia)

Specialty: Gastrointestinal

Category: Liver Disorders

Sub-category: Liver Tumors

Symptoms:
asymptomatic; right upper quadrant discomfort; bloating; nausea; rarely, a palpable mass

Root Cause:
Non-cancerous growths in the liver; hemangiomas are vascular malformations, and focal nodular hyperplasia is a hyperplastic response to vascular abnormalities.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Often incidental on imaging (ultrasound, CT, or MRI), confirmed with characteristic imaging patterns; rarely requires biopsy.

Treatment:
Usually no treatment necessary; symptomatic lesions may require surgical resection or embolization.

Medications:
None typically required; treatment focuses on monitoring or surgical intervention if needed.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Hemangiomas are the most common benign liver tumors, affecting up to 5% of the population. Focal nodular hyperplasia is less common, occurring in 0.3%-3% of adults.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Female gender, use of oral contraceptives (for hepatic adenomas), underlying vascular abnormalities.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Excellent; benign tumors do not progress to malignancy, and most remain asymptomatic.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Rare; large hemangiomas may rupture, causing bleeding, or compress nearby structures.