In cirrhosis, there is a continuous repair of the liver: some cells die and others are born to replace them. This high rate of cellular turnover favors the slow accumulation of genetic errors that can appear when cells divide: mutations. Sometimes these mutations that appear affect cellular functions that are vital for controlling tissue growth. And so, cells containing these mutations become cancerous cells and a tumor appears.

Therefore, in the patient suffering from cirrhosis, the risk of developing liver tumors (hepatocarcinoma or cholangiocarcinoma) is higher, the prognosis of which depends on early detection. And just as women have mammograms for breast cancer or older men have tests for prostate cancer, it is very important for cirrhotic patients to have ultrasound scans every six months in centers specialized in early detection. This way it is possible to cure them most of the time in case they appear.

On the other hand, when cirrhosis decompensates, the best solution today is liver transplantation, after which one can live for many years with an excellent quality of life. But there are more people in need of a transplant than there are organs available from people who have died. In an attempt to alleviate this problem, living donation of a portion of the liver has become a reality.

It is not always possible to carry it out, because not everyone who wants to donate is a good candidate to do so, due to a question of suitability between donor and recipient. But advances in surgical techniques have allowed the desire to bring health to a relative or friend by donating a part of one's own liver to be fulfilled in more and more cases.