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The stages of primary liver cancer
Useful information for cancer patients
Contents
This information is about the number
stages of primary liver cancer. There are
sections on
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What staging is
Number stages of liver cancer
Stage 1
Stage 2
Stage 3
Stage 4
You can view this information in a larger
print on our website.
Number stages of liver cancer
When doctors plan treatment for liver cancer they not
only have to consider the size of the tumour and if it
has spread, but also how well the liver is working. So
doctors have developed a number of different staging
systems to help with this. The stage of cancer
depends on
• The size of the tumour
• Whether the cancer has grown into blood vessels
– this is important because it is easier for cancer
cells to get into the bloodstream and spread if the
tumour is closely involved with the blood vessels
• Whether cancer has spread to lymph nodes or
other organs in the body
Stage 1
There is a single tumour and the cancer has not
spread to the blood vessels, lymph nodes or any
other part of the body.
What staging is
The stage of a cancer tells the doctor how far it has
grown. It is important because decisions about
treatment are often made according to the stage of
the cancer. The tests and scans you have to diagnose
your cancer will give some information about the
stage. Staging shows whether the cancer is contained
within the liver or whether it has spread elsewhere.
The stages of primary liver cancer
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Stage 2
At this stage the cancer has not spread to the lymph
nodes or any other part of the body. It can be either
Stage 3
This stage is divided into 3 further groups – stage 3A,
3B and 3C.
• A single tumour that has grown into blood vessels
of the liver
Stage 3A
There is more than one tumour, and at least 1 of them
is larger than 5cm. At this stage the cancer has not
spread to the lymph nodes or any other part of the
body.
• Several tumours that are less than 5cm but have
not grown into the blood vessels
Stage 3B
The cancer has grown into one of the main blood
vessels of the liver (the portal vein or hepatic vein). But
cancer cells have not spread into the lymph nodes or
to any other part of your body.
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Stage 3C
The cancer has spread into organs close to the liver
(not including the gallbladder), or through the lining
that wraps around the internal organs of the
abdomen (the visceral peritoneum). It has not spread
to lymph nodes or any other part of the body.
Stage 4B
The cancer is any size and there may be more than
one tumour. It may have grown into blood vessels or
the organs around the liver. It may or may not have
spread into lymph nodes, but has spread to another
part of the body such as the lungs or bones.
Stage 4
This stage is divided into 2 further stages - stage 4A
and 4B.
Stage 4A
The cancer is any size and there may be more than
one tumour. It may have grown into blood vessels or
the organs around the liver. It has spread to lymph
nodes but not to other parts of the body.
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Notes
For more information, visit our website http://www.cruk.org/about-cancer
You will find a wide range of detailed, up to date information for people affected by
cancer, including a clinical trials database that you can search for trials in the UK.
Our information is based on the best current scientific evidence and reviewed
regularly by leading clinicians and experts in health and social care.
For answers to your questions about cancer call our Cancer Information Nurses on
0808 800 4040 9am till 5pm Monday to Friday.
Adapted from Cancer Research UK’s website in March 2015. Cancer Research UK’s website is not designed to
provide medical advice or professional services and is intended to be for educational use only. The information
provided through Cancer Research UK’s website and our nurse team is not a substitute for professional care and
should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease. If you have, or suspect you may have, a
health problem you should consult your doctor. Copyright Cancer Research UK 2015. Cancer Research UK is a
registered charity in England and Wales (1089464), Scotland (SC041666) and in the Isle of Man (1103)
The stages of primary liver cancer
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