Liver Cancer - Glossary

Liver - A large, glandular organ located in the upper abdomen. The liver cleanses the blood and aids in digestion by secreting bile.

Liver cancer - A disease in which malignant (cancer) cells are found in the tissues of the liver.

Liver metastasis - Cancer that has spread from the original (primary) tumor to the liver.

Radiotherapy - The use of high-energy penetrating rays or subatomic particles to treat disease. Types of radiation include x-ray, electron beam, alpha and beta particles, and gamma rays. Radioactive substances include cobalt, radium, iridium, and cesium.

Radiofrequency Ablation - The use of electrical current to destroy tissue.

Gene therapy - Treatment that alters a gene. In studies of gene therapy for cancer, researchers are trying to improve the body's natural ability to fight the disease or to make the cancer cells more sensitive to other kinds of therapy.

Angiography - Imaging of a system of blood vessels after injection of a dye opaque to x-rays.

Chemoembolization - A procedure in which the blood supply to the tumor is blocked surgically or mechanically, and anticancer drugs are administered directly into the tumor. This permits a higher concentration of drug to be in contact with the tumor for a longer period of time.