Liver metastases is cancer that has spread to the liver from somewhere else in the body.

See also: Hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer)

Cancer that may spread to the liver include colorectal, pancreatic, stomach and esophageal cancers, as well as breast cancer, lung cancer, melanoma, and a number of other cancers.

The reasons for the spread of cancer vary. It depends both on blood flow and on the characteristics of the different cancer cells. For example, cancers of the gastrointestinal tract often spread to the liver because blood flows directly from these organs to the liver. Melanoma usually spreads through the body's blood vessels to the liver.

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

In some cases, there are no symptoms. When symptoms occur, they may include:

• Weight loss
• Pain, usually in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen
• Jaundice
• Fevers
• Sweats
• Nausea
• Anorexia

Tests that may be done to diagnose liver metastases include:

• Bilirubin blood test -- may be high
• Liver function tests -- may be abnormal
• CT scan or MRI -- may show a mass in the liver
• PET scan -- may show a mass in the liver
• Ultrasound of the liver -- may show a mass in the liver