[Early liver cancer]

There is no definition for early liver cancers. However, solitary liver cancers smaller than 2 cm in diameter are defined as small liver cancers and this term is often used as the meaning of early cancers. Small liver cancers are diagnosed by US, US-guided biopsies, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and angiography. They are successfully treated by percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI), subsegmental transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE), operations and percutaneous microwave coagulation therapy (PMCT), 3-years survival rates being more than 70%. The choice of treatments depends on the techniques available in each institute and liver function, since most cases are complicated with liver cirrhosis.