Primary liver cancer, also known as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) or hepatoma, is the fifth most common form of cancer but the third most common caus

Primary liver cancer, also known as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) or hepatoma, is the fifth most common form of cancer but the third most common cause of death from cancer worldwide. Although it is more prevalent in other parts of the world, in the United States about 19,000 new cases are diagnosed each year, and most will die from the disease. Historically, the median survival rate has been about six months without therapy.
The incidence of liver cancer in the United States is currently estimated at around 3 per 100,000 persons, with significant gender, ethnic and geographic variations. However, these numbers are rising quickly and may be a gross under-estimate. For reasons that are not really clear, it is a predominantly male disease with a male:female ratio of 4:1.
Although all the causes of liver cancers are not known, we do know that the majority are caused by hepatitis B, hepatitis C and/or abuse of alcohol. Those factors typically lead to cirrhosis, which in turns leads to liver failure and/or liver cancer (HCC). Depending on the part of the world, dietary contamination may also be important. In the United States, obesity has recently been shown to be important in the development of cirrhosis, a predisposing factor to the development of HCC. (If you have one or more of these risk factors, speak with your physician about proactive screening tests.)