If there are symptoms similar to liver cancer symptoms, then differential diagnosing of primary liver cancer is made with secondary (metastatic) tumors of the body, cirrhosis, and nonneoplastic liver diseases. Diagnosis of secondary tumors of the liver becomes evident when the primary focus identified.

By the differential diagnosis of primary liver cancer with cirrhosis helps reaction to alpha-fetoprotein, which is negative with cirrhosis, and liver scan clearly identifies nidal or diffuse its lesion.

Liver cyst of nonparasitic nature is round, with elastic consistency, and a clear roentgenological picture and the typical manifestations by radioisotope scanning of the liver. In the differential diagnosis of liver echinococcosis, anamnestic data is relevant, as well as eosinophilia and positive serological reactions. If there are suspicions about nephroblastoma or neuroblastoma, which located in the upper abdomen, then excretory urography and angiography are applied.