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Liver cysts are relatively common and usually do not
cause any problems or health risks. They may,
however, grow large enough to cause pain and
discomfort. This is alleviated by draining and/or
removal.
To make a recommendation, a physician would of course
need a complete medical history and view the CT scan
to determine whether the cyst is fluid filled, solid
with a 'central scar', etc. This information gives
clues about whether the cyst may be benign or
malignant.
Hemangiomas are the most common benign solid lesions
that occur in the liver. They contain many small
blood vessels and caution should be taken in ordering
a biopsy because of the risk of bleeding. Adenomas
and nodular hyperplasias are additional types of
solid masses.
For someone with a history of recurrent cancer, it
would be a good idea to ask your physician about
performing a biopsy to remove some of the tissue for
analysis. The results would determine what your next
step should be.
Surgery is often the choice for removing hepatic
masses. Newer treatments such as radio-frequency
ablation (RFA) are also being explored.
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