Is 3cm Liver Cancer Considered Early Stage?

Liver cancer can be classified into early, intermediate, and advanced stages based on tumor size, vascular invasion, and metastasis. Generally, a tumor smaller than 5cm in diameter that hasn't invaded major blood vessels or spread to distant organs or lymph nodes is categorized as early-stage liver cancer. These cases often have a much better prognosis compared to later stages.

Patients with tumors under 5cm may be eligible for potentially curative treatments such as surgical resection or liver transplantation. In particular, when the tumor is less than 3cm, it is considered to be at a very early stage, which significantly increases the chances of long-term survival and successful treatment outcomes.

From the perspective of liver transplantation, tumors under 5cm that show no vascular invasion or metastasis meet the widely accepted Milan criteria. According to medical research, patients meeting these criteria have a 5-year survival rate of over 75%. This highlights the importance of early detection and timely intervention in improving patient outcomes.