Childhood Cancer

Childhood Cancer

Chapter 3: Liver Cancers

CHILDHOOD LIVER CANCERS ARE RARE, as less than 2 percent of all childhood cancers grow in the liver. The most common form of liver cancer in children is hepatoblastoma. Hepatocellular carcinoma is the second most common, but it occurs infrequently. Although extremely rare, two other types of tumors—undifferentiated embryonal sarcoma and infantile choriocarcinoma—sometimes develop in children’s livers.

This chapter first explains the structure and function of the liver. Then it describes the signs and symptoms of cancer in the liver and how a diagnosis is made. The chapter then delves into the four types of liver cancers, explains how doctors determine the best treatment, and describes the current standard treatment for each of the cancers.