Liver cancer cells. Black and white transmission electron micrograph (TEM) of cancer cells in the liver. Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common type of liver cancer. It tends to occur in livers damaged by genetic defects, alcohol abuse, or chronic infection with diseases such as hepatitis B and C. Primary liver cancer, which starts in the liver, is relatively rare in the UK, with about 3, 600 people diagnosed each year. However, because of the prevalence of hepatitis caused by contagious viruses, it accounts for up to half of all cancers in some undeveloped countries. These cancerous cells have large, complex nuclei typical of cancer cells, very little cytoplasm and are undergoing chaotic division. Cancers originating in the liver can be removed by surgery, with a good chance of survival. Magnification: x2500, when printed 10 centimetres wide.