My husband was told he has stage 4 cirrhosis / liver cancer. does that mean the cirrosis is stage 4 or the liver cancer is stage 4?

Ask the doctor: Either way this is not a good diagnosis. Ask his physician about his assessment of the staging, as well as the prognosis.

Cirrhosis vs cancer: cirrhosis is scarring of the liver. people with cirrhosis are at risk for liver cancer. it is certainly possible that he has both, though we wouldn't use 'stage 4' for liver cancer but woudl instead say that someone has metastasis. did he have a biopsy? the 'stage 4' is much more likley to refer to degree of scarring, meaning cirrhosis. if he has no liver cancer now, he needs to be screened >