What is Liver cancer?
Liver cancer happens when cells in your liver start to grow out of control and form a tumor. There are two main types:
- Primary Liver Cancer starts in the liver itself.
- Metastatic Liver Cancer happens when cancer from another part of your body spreads to the liver. Since the liver filters blood from your digestive system, cancer often spreads there from the colon or rectum.
Risk factors for liver cancer
Several things can increase your risk of getting liver cancer:
- Cirrhosis: Scarring of the liver due to chronic diseases, typically hepatitis or alcohol abuse.
- Hepatitis: Chronic hepatitis B or C can lead to liver damage and raise the chance of developing liver cancer if untreated.
- Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD): This is commonly called fatty liver disease, and is a rising cause of chronic liver disease.
- Aflatoxins: A toxin made by certain molds that grow on agricultural products.
- Family History: A history of close relatives raises the risk of liver cancer.
What are the symptoms?
Liver cancer doesn’t generally cause pain when it is very small in the early stages, because pain receptors of the liver are on the covering of the liver. As it grows you may experience these symptoms:
- Loss of Appetite: Not wanting to eat as much as usual.
- Abdominal Pain: Pain in the upper right part of your belly, where your liver is.
- Nausea and Vomiting: Feeling sick to your stomach and throwing up.
- Jaundice: Yellowing of your skin and the whites of your eyes.
- Fatigue: Feeling very tired all the time.
- Unexplained Weight Loss: Losing weight without trying.
- Swelling of the Abdomen: Your belly might swell up if fluid builds up due to liver problems.
How is it diagnosed?
Liver cancer can be detected by imaging studies such as ultrasound, CT scans, or MRI scans. Patients with known risk factors will often undergo yearly screening to detect early liver cancer. A blood draw that includes liver enzymes can detect liver dysfunction. There are tumor markers for some types of liver cancers.
What is the treatment for liver cancer?
Treatment depends on the type of liver cancer and how far it has spread. Options include:
- Surgery
- Liver transplant
- Chemotherapy
- Targeted therapy
- Radiation therapy
- Embolization
- Immunotherapy
- Ablation
What is the best prevention?
You can reduce risks with several precautions. Reducing alcohol intake and vaccination against hepatitis B are both crucial. Maintaining a healthy weight through diet and exercise will help prevent non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, which is the fastest-growing risk factor.
If you have been diagnosed with liver cancer and would like to discuss minimally invasive treatment, please contact us.