Liver tumors are distinguished into:

• Benign liver tumors
• Malign liver tumors, originating in the liver or metastasized from other organs, often the intestines.

Benign liver tumors
Benign liver tumors are frequent and include, among other things, cysts (sacs filled with liquid), adenomas (accumulations of benign liver cells) and focal nodular hyperplasia (a combination of biliary tract, healthy liver cells and connective tissue).

Malign liver tumors
Liver cell carcinoma in particular and a number of more rare types of liver tumors such as haemangioendothelioma are malign liver tumors. In the case of metastasising to the liver the primary tumour is not located in the liver, but cancer cells will colonize the liver while the real tumour is located in another organ at another site in the body.

Organisation of the care for the patient with a liver tumour
The department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology within Erasmus MC runs the so-called ‘one-stop' Liver tumors outpatient clinic. Patients are seen just one time in principle, and during this visit also undergo (contrast) ultrasound study.

Subsequently, if possible in the same week, all available clinical data and imaging material (CT/MRI) are discussed in the multidisciplinary liver meeting. This meeting is pivotal in the care for the patient. On these occasions radiologists, oncologists, hepatobiliary surgeons and gastroenterologists and hepatologists together discuss their patients and decide on a well-considered treatment strategy.

All in all, this approach usually results in a strategic treatment plan within a few days after the patient's visit to the outpatient clinic. Key terms for these meetings are: fast, clear, and high-quality. The liver meeting is a multidisciplinary tumour meeting accredited by the IKR (Comprehensive Cancer Centre Rotterdam).

Research
The departments of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Surgery, Oncology, Radiology and Pathology have established an ongoing collaboration in research aimed at improving the care around the patient with a liver tumour.