Ivan Pleško, Chakameh Safaei Diba
Cancer of liver with 625,000 cases was in 2002 the sixth most common type of cancer and with 598,000 deaths the third most common cause of deaths from cancer worldwide. The highest incidence rates were registered in southeastern Asia and sub-Saharian Africa, low in developed areas of Europe, Northern and Southern America and Australia. Exact identification of primary liver cancer is based on microscopic confirmation of typical morphologic types of liver malignancieshepatocellular and cholangiocellular carcinomas and of rare hepatoblastomas in children. The liver is a very frequent organ for metastases from other cancer sites. High occurrence of primary liver cancers in endemic areas of hepatitis caused by B-type virus (HBV) and in lesser extent by type C (HCV) led gradually to discovery that about 70 % of all primary liver cancers is related to the chronic infection with HBV or HCV. Of great importance is the fact that this discovery led to the preparation and application of anti HBV vaccine with positive results.