The most common types of primary liver cancer are hepatocellular carcinoma, intrahepatic cholangiocellular carcinoma, and mixed hepatocellular-cholangiocellular carcinoma.
Other specific types of primary hepatocellular carcinoma may arise from epithelial and non-epithelial cells, and even from hematopoietic and lymphocytic cells, but together they account for only 2% of primary liver malignancies.
Here are a few specific types of hepatocellular carcinoma.
Hepatoblastoma
The most common malignant tumor of the liver in children, who most often present with an incidentally discovered large liver mass with elevated alpha fetoprotein (AFP).
Surgical resection is mostly effective, and those that cannot be resected can be reduced by chemotherapy and then operated on.
Fibroplate-like hepatocellular carcinoma
A specific type of hepatocellular carcinoma with a low incidence, mostly in young patients, with a slow onset, long course, atypical clinical presentation, low malignancy and limited lesions.
This type of hepatocellular carcinoma is easily accessible for surgical radical treatment and has a better prognosis.
Hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma
A rare, low-grade malignant vascular tumor that occurs in the 30s to 50s with an insidious clinical presentation. Patients who are inoperable should consider liver aspiration biopsy for a definitive diagnosis, and single tumors should be aggressively pursued for surgical opportunities.
Hepatic angiosarcoma
The most common type of malignant tumor of hepatic vascular origin, patients have significant abdominal pain, bloating, and abdominal masses. The tumor is fast-growing, highly malignant, and some will rupture and bleed, predisposing them to extrahepatic metastasis.
People with limited lesions without metastases should strive for early diagnosis and early surgical resection.
Summary
Specific types of primary hepatic malignancies are much less common and can easily lead to misdiagnosis. Patients with initial findings of hepatic occupancies should be seen by an experienced specialist, and pathology is usually the gold standard for a definitive diagnosis.