This is a sub-category of All cancer deaths (see Map 7). It contains primary liver cancers, that is, when cancer starts in the liver itself. Many other primary cancers can spread to cause secondary tumours in the liver, but are not included here.

See also Map 44 Hepatitis and Map 47 Chronic liver disease.

Males and females are mapped separately as the geographical patterns are different. For males the highest rates are found in Scotland, particularly Glasgow, Inner London, Tyneside and Liverpool; urban areas tend to have higher rates than rural. Females have the highest rates in Glasgow, and also show a similar rural–urban divide.

Primary liver cancer is a relatively rare form of cancer and is cancer in the liver itself or the bile ducts that connect the liver to the small bowel. Cancer in the liver develops mainly in people who have cirrhosis of the liver (although only a small proportion of people with cirrhosis will develop cancer of the liver). Cirrhosis can be caused by infection (for example, Hepatitis B or C) or by heavy alcohol consumption.

The author Jorge Luis Borges died of liver cancer.