The partial removal of the liver. A surgeon may perform this operation when cancer is contained within one lobe of the liver, in the absence of cirrhosis (a severe liver disease), jaundice (a yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes), and ascites (an abnormal collection of fluid inside the abdominal cavity). Complete removal of a tumor usually offers the best survival rate from liver cancer.
Hepatectomy refers to the surgical removal of a portion of the liver. This procedure is necessary in cases where a damaged section of the liver needs to be removed after an injury or to treat noncancerous liver tumors and hydatid disease. On rare occasions, liver cancer may also be treated using this method.