Understanding Liver Cancer: Types, Causes, and Risk Factors
Liver cancer is one of the dangerous and life threatening disease, which affects thousands of individuals worldwide each year. Its important to know about liver cancer, including its types, symptoms, causes, and risk factors, this can help in early detection and effective treatment. In this blog, Dr. Vikrant Kale, a leading gastroenterologist & liver specialist in Pune sharing his thoughts on this topic.
What is Liver Cancer?
When abnormal cells in the liver grow uncontrollably and forms tumor then liver cancer appears. The primary function of liver is to processe nutrients and filter toxins, this is affected by affected by many types of cancer. Prior diagnosis of this type of cancer can create ease for liver cancer treatment.
What Are The Types of Liver Cancer?
- Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC): It is the most common type almost 75% of all liver cancer cases. It forms in the main liver cells called hepatocytes.
- Cholangiocarcinoma (Bile Duct Cancer): It affects the bile ducts thoroughly, responsible for about 10-20% of liver cancers.
- Liver Angiosarcoma: A rare type of cancer that starts in the blood vessels of the liver.
- Hepatoblastoma: this cancer generally develop in the children below 3 years of age.
What Are The Symptoms of Liver Cancer?
In early stages liver cancer does not have any symptoms, making it very difficult to diagnose early. However, as the cancer progresses, symptoms may include:
- Unexplained weight loss
- Loss of appetite
- Upper abdominal pain or discomfort
- Nausea and vomiting
- Weakness and fatigue
- Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes)
- Swelling in the abdomen
- Abdominal swelling or ascites
- Itchy Skin
What Are The Causes and Risk Factors?
Lot of factors can improve the risk of developing liver cancer:
- Chronic Hepatitis B or C Infection: Long-term infections with these viruses are the main risk factors.
- Cirrhosis: A condition where the liver becomes scarred and is associated with an improved risk of liver cancer.
- Alcohol consumption: High alcohol consumption can led to liver cirrhosis.
- Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD): Fat accumulation in the liver is big reason which lead to liver damage and cancer.
- Aflatoxin Exposure: Consuming foods contaminated with aflatoxins, toxins produced by certain fungi, is a known risk factor.
- Diabetes: Individuals with diabetes, particularly type 2 diabetes, have a higher risk of developing liver cancer.
- Genetic Factors: Conditions such as hemochromatosis can increase the risk of liver cancer.
What Are The Treatment Options Of Liver Cancer?
The treatment of liver cancer depends on many factors like condition, the patient’s overall health, and the type of liver cancer. Common treatment options include:
- Surgery: For localized tumors, surgical resection or liver transplantation may be considered.
- Liver Transplantation: An option for patients with early-stage liver cancer and underlying liver disease.
- Ablation Therapy: Methods like radiofrequency ablation or microwave ablation use heat to destroy cancer cells.
- Targeted Therapy: Drugs that target specific molecules involved in cancer growth and spread.
- Immunotherapy: Increases the body’s immune system to fight cancer.
- Chemotherapy: Used to kill or slow the growth of cancer cells, though less effective for liver cancer compared to other cancers.
- Radiation Therapy: Although not typically used for liver cancer, it may be considered for specific cases or to manage symptoms.
Conclusion:
Knowing liver cancer, its types, symptoms, causes, risk factors, and treatment options, is important for both prevention and management. Regular screening, especially for those at high risk, and early intervention can significantly improve outcomes.
We learned about the liver cancer types, symptoms, causes, risk factors and treatment options. This things are very helpful for prevention, it will also help to manage the cancer severity if anyone is suffering.
If you have doubt or having symptoms as mentioned above book an appointment today with expert doctors. Our experienced doctors will surely help you to manage and prevent this type of cancers. We hope this information was helpful and you guys will take necessary actions.
