Hepatic Neoplasia

Abstract

Tumors of the liver may arise from the liver itself or from the gallbladder. These tumors are called primary liver tumors, and they may be benign or malignant. Benign tumors remain localized within the liver. If they are diagnosed and removed before they become advanced, the long-term outlook for the patient is good. Malignant tumors tend to spread to other organs, making treatment very difficult. Unfortunately, the long-term outlook for patients with malignant tumors of the liver is poor. Liver tumors are rare in dogs and rarer still in cats. Most pets that develop these tumors are 10 years old or older.