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Liver metastases - Overview

Alternative Names

Metastases to the liver; Metastatic liver cancer; Liver cancer - metastatic

Definition of Liver metastases:

Liver metastases are cancerous tumors that have spread to the liver from somewhere else in the body.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Cancers that may spread to the liver include:

The risk of cancer spreading to the liver depends on the site of the original cancer. A liver metastasis may be present when the original (primary) cancer is diagnosed, or it may occur months or years after the primary tumor is removed.

Liver biopsy

Hepatocellular cancer, CT scan

Liver metastases, CT scan

Digestive system organs

Reviewed last on: 12/10/2010
A.D.A.M. Editorial Team: David Zieve, MD, MHA, and David R. Eltz. Previously reviewed by David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; and Yi-Bin Chen, MD, Leukemia/Bone Marrow Transplant Program, Massachusetts General Hospital (6/22/2010).

References

Lewis RL. Liver and biliary tract tumors. In Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 206.

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