What is liver cancer?



Liver cancer happens when cells begin to multiply at a faster rate than they should and the unwanted cells form a growth also there are 2 main types of liver cancer and these are primary cancer which means the cancer started in liver. The second type is secondary cancer which means the means the cancer developed in another part of the body and has spread to the liver and the most common cancers that may spread to the liver are cancers of the stomach, lung, colon and breast. The two main types of primary liver cancer are hepatoma that starts in the cells, which perform the major tasks of the liver, called hepatocytes and the second type of cancer is known as cholangiocarcinomas and it starts in the cells that line the bile ducts of the liver.

What are the symptoms of liver cancer?

At the very early stage of liver cancer there are no symptoms and the other symptoms are upper right abdomen pain, swelling in upper right abdomen, abdominal pain extends to shoulder and back, swollen abdomen, enlarged liver, weight loss, loss of appetite, feeling of fullness, weakness, fatigue, nausea, malaise, fever, vomiting, jaundice which includes symptoms like yellow skin, yellow eyes, darker urine and fluid retention.

What can you do to prevent liver cancer?

In order to avoid liver cancer you should stop smoking and this will greatly reduce your risk of developing lung and stomach cancer as well as try to maintain a healthy balanced diet and reduce your consumption of alcohol which is a major cause of cirrhosis of the liver. The main step is to protect yourself against the hepatitis virus by practicing safe sex and avoid sharing needles.

And if you have cirrhosis of the liver then your doctor should regularly test you for the presence of a hepatoma and the test may involve regular blood tests, which looks for the presence of alpha-feta protein which is a substance found in abnormal amounts in those with a hepatoma.

What are the treatments of liver cancer?

Treatments of liver cancer will vary according to the individual also depending on which stage have they reached and some of the possible treatments are surgery, liver transplantation, chemotherapy and radiation where liver transplantation is the replacement of one liver with another. Radiation therapy is the use of x rays or other high-energy rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors and Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to kill cancer cells. Since in surgery, leukemia cells can spread to all the organs via the blood stream and the lymph vessels hence surgery is usually not an option.

Detection of the liver disorder:

Liver cancer has become very common and two-thirds of people have advanced liver disease when they seek medical help, one third of the patients have cancer that has not progressed beyond the liver. Hepatitis is one of the main causes of cancer and people who have this problem are most likely to suffer from liver cancer. Abdominal pain is one of the basic symptoms generally the initial and most frequent symptom and it can be an indication for the initial stage of cancer. Another basic symptoms are universal that including weakness and weight loss, although symptoms vary in different parts of the world. One should consult the doctor immediately when one undergoes this problem and if this is detected then the treatment can begin before the problem aggravates.

Basic symptoms:

Tiredness is another important symptom and its not relieved by rest and can affect you physically, psychologically and emotionally. In some cases there is a loss of apatite and in these cases Steroids prescribed by your doctor may increase your appetite. Some people suffer from nausea and by changing the chemical balance in the blood. Nausea can often be effectively relieved by anti-sickness tablets. There is a graet variety of anti-emetics available and your doctor will find the one that suits you best and that problem can be cured. In extreme cases there is a usage of steroids as these can help to relieve sickness and make you feel more energetic, as well as improving your appetite.

Other symptoms:

There are various other symptoms like heavy pain because enlarged liver stretches the capsule that surrounds it resulting into this problem. Chemotherapy is used so that it can shrink the enlarged liver will relieve the pain, but there are also several effective types of painkillers available that your doctor can prescribe. There are many doctors who prescribe strong pain killers but they have sude effects like consitipation hence it is important to try to have a diet high in fibre and drink plenty of fluids and if this kind of a diet if followed then these problems are minimised.