Hepatocellular carcinoma pathology has been studied for a very long time now by researchers and doctors all over the world. Hepatocellular carcinoma is liver cancer, which is the fifth most fatal cancer in existence. Liver cancer can range from the heavy drinker, alcoholic liver carcinoma, to genetically inheriting it.

The goal of researchers in carcinoma pathology that is developing right now is to catch liver disease in a person in the beginning stages before it turns to cirrhosis, which is an ending stage disease when there is a poor diagnosis to the disease to begin with. Liver cancer symptoms could be tricky to catch which is why most result in cirrhosis of the liver and disease. There may be subtle to no liver disease symptoms at all for many years. If any liver disease symptoms occur at all they many be something like yellowing of the skin, becoming very lethargic, and spidery veins underneath the skin. While these symptoms are very subtle, liver damage can also be tested through blood test results. There are standard blood tests you can receive from your doctor testing the liver enzymes and dysfunction of the liver. Routine blood tests and healthy dieting can help this happen. Catching liver disease at an early stage can help it to not be fatal and help you to live a longer life with out possibly having liver failure or a liver transplant.

Studying of the tumors that results from liver cancer is very important too. It can help determine treatment options depending on tumor size and staging. High-grade tumors are usually the only studied tumors by pathologists because low-grade tumors can go unnoticed for years, not just in the liver but also in other organs such at the stomach or breasts. Low-grade breast tumors are the most commonly unnoticed by pathologist because of their small size and image studies like MR mammograms can detect them more easily and help them to become a more commonly known tumor to the researchers finding cures.

Carcinoma pathology is seen, microscopically, to show the large and small masses of tumors in liver cancer. These microscopic images they look at are called biopsies. Different colors under the microscope mean for different types of liver cancer, for example, grey or green if the tumor produces bile. Microscopically, there are four different types of liver cancer ranging from giant cells to clear cells, and behind these four kinds of tumors are different stages of each one that have been studied and are still being perfected today.

If the liver cancer cannot be completely removed during surgery, the disease is usually fatal within three to six months. And the outcome is very poor in hepatocellular carcinoma tumors being completely removed, about 10 to 20 percent using surgery. This is why hepatocellular carcinoma pathology is being done all over the world, to help create longer lives.