Benign Liver Tumors

Overview

A tumor is an abnormal growth of cells or tissues. Some tumors are malignant or cancerous. Others are benign, or noncancerous.

Cancerous liver tumors can be fatal. Some cancerous tumors in the liver started in another organ and spread to the liver. This form of liver cancer is called metastatic liver cancer. Cancerous liver tumors that start in the liver are less common in the United States. This form of liver cancer is called primary liver cancer.

Noncancerous, or benign, liver tumors are more common. They do not spread to other areas of the body, and they rarely pose a serious health risk.

Note: lesion is a broad term referring to any area of abnormal growth, while a tumor is a specific type of lesion.

Types of benign liver tumors

The three most common types of benign liver tumors are called:

• Hemangioma
• Focal nodular hyperplasia
• Hepatocellular adenoma

Hemangioma

Hemangiomas are the most common form of benign liver tumors. They are a mass of abnormal blood vessels. Up to 5 percent of adults in the United States may have small hemangiomas in their liver. Women are more likely than men to develop them.  The majority are diagnosed between the ages of 30 and 50.

Usually these benign tumors produce no symptoms and do not need to be treated. In very rare cases, an infant with a large hemangioma may need to have it removed surgically to prevent clotting and heart failure.

Focal Nodular Hyperplasia

Focal nodular hyperplasia is the second most common form of benign liver tumor after hemangiomas. These tumors occur mainly in women between the ages of 20 and 30. Like the other forms of benign liver tumors, they are generally discovered during imaging tests for other conditions. On imaging, these tumors are solitary with a central scar.

Sometimes referred to as FNH, these tumors usually do not cause symptoms or require treatment. If they are large, doctors may recommend that they be removed surgically to avoid the risk of rupture, but this is very uncommon.

Hepatocellular Adenomas

Hepatocellular adenomas are less common benign liver tumors. They occur most often in women of childbearing age. They used to be linked to oral contraceptives, when higher doses of estrogen were used.

Since these tumors generally do not cause symptoms, most are never detected. In rare cases, these tumors may rupture and bleed into the abdominal cavity. When doctors discover a large adenoma, they may recommend that it be surgically removed to prevent that possibility.

Hepatocellular adenomas may enlarge in women who take hormone pills, so doctors will often recommend discontinuing birth control pills or postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy to female patients who have this kind of tumor.

Facts at-a-Glance

• Benign tumors are significantly less dangerous than malignant tumors. Benign tumors by themselves are not life-threatening.
• Hemangiomas, the most common type of benign liver tumor occur in 1 to 5% of adults.
• Less common benign solid liver tumors include focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH), hepatic adenoma, and regenerative nodules.

Symptoms and Causes

Potential causes of liver tumors could be scarring from a liver disease such as cirrhosis, viral hepatitis, prolonged alcohol use, smoking, or certain hormones.

The symptoms that may be experienced will depend on the type of tumor.

• Benign tumors usually do not cause any symptoms. If they grow in size, some abdominal discomfort may be experienced.  
• Malignant tumors may have no symptoms in the early stages but may later cause pain, fatigue, jaundice, and digestive issues.

Diagnosis and Tests

In most cases, benign liver tumors are not detected because they cause no symptoms. When they are detected, it is usually because a patient required a medical imaging test, such as an ultrasound, CT test, or MRI, for another condition.

A physician may also use a few different tests to diagnose the tumor. These may include abdominal imaging, blood tests that can determine the type of tumor, and biopsy to physically examine a piece of the tumor.

Management and Treatment

Treatment will depend upon the type of tumor, the size, and the overall condition of the liver.

If the tumor is cancerous, treatments may include ablation, surgical removal of the tumor, chemotherapy, and liver transplant.

Prevention

Although it is difficult to prevent liver tumors, the risk can be lowered by living an overall healthy lifestyle, using alcohol in moderation or not at all, and being vaccinated against viral hepatitis and avoiding activities that may expose you to hepatitis.

Outlook / Prognosis

The outlook is very good for those with benign tumors, as they rarely grow and do not spread.

For those with liver cancer, the outlook will be based on the type of cancer and the length of time it has been present.

Living With

Benign liver tumors usually have no symptoms, nor do they affect liver functioning.

Liver Cancer has the potential to cause some health issues, including feeling sick and fatigue. This can be increased if the cancer spreads to other organs and areas of the body. Treatments can also take a toll on the body and quality of life. Try to have as much support as possible during this time.

Questions to Ask Your Doctor

• What kind of liver tumor do I have? (Hemangioma, Focal nodular hyperplasia or Hepatocellular adenoma)
• Do I need to do further imaging studies to access the size? Should it be a contrast CT or MRI?
• Will there be repeat imaging studies to monitor the issue?
• Will a biopsy be needed to look at the tissue?
• Should the tumors be removed?
• (If needed to be removed), what kind of specialist should I follow up with? A surgeon?
• Do I need to change any of my medications to reduce the risk of it growing?
• Do I need to do other kinds of cancer screenings, such as an AFP test (blood test) or a PET scan?
• Is it possible for the tumors to be causing discomfort?

Patient Stories

Search for a Clinical Trial

Clinical trials are research studies that test how well new medical approaches work in people. Before an experimental treatment can be tested on human subjects in a clinical trial, it must have shown benefit in laboratory testing or animal research studies. The most promising treatments are then moved into clinical trials, with the goal of identifying new ways to safely and effectively prevent, screen for, diagnose, or treat a disease.

Speak with your doctor about the ongoing progress and results of these trials to get the most up-to­ date information on new treatments. Taking part in a clinical trial is a great way to contribute to curing, preventing and treating liver disease and its complications.

Start your search here to find clinical trials that need people like you.

Medically reviewed in April 2025

Last updated on June 11th, 2025 at 02:08 pm