The liver continuously filters blood that circulates through the body, converting nutrients and drugs absorbed from the digestive tract into ready-to-use chemicals. When the liver cells become abnormal and grow out of control, it may disrupt the function of the liver and cause an obstruction to the blood vessels that pass through the liver.
Liver cancer may be caused by the scars produced in the chronic liver disease, cirrhosis. Cirrhosis is caused by alcoholism, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C. Liver cancer may also be caused by the spread of cancer cells from other organs, such as the colon, breast, bladder, kidney, ovary, pancreas, stomach, uterus, and lungs.
The most common type of liver cancer is the hepatocellular cancer.