Liver metastases: false-colour computed tomography (CT) scan showing metastases (secondary cancerous deposits) in the liver. Cancer deposits appear as the purple areas in the right lobe of the liver; the large, curved organ (in red) occupying most of the left side of the image. Secondary liver cancer is more common than primary disease (hepatoma) in affluent countries. Spread (metastasis) typically takes place from primary cancers of the stomach, pancreas & colon, often when these tumours are small and give rise to no symptoms of their own.