Most Common Cancer of the Liver
There are many cancers that we hear about on a regular basis due to their frequency or chances of a cure. Unfortunately, hepatocellular carcinoma – liver cancer is not often given as much attention as breast or lung cancer but it is one that has become the third leading cause of cancer deaths around the globe. Of course, there are no guarantees with cancer and genetics or environment can play a role in the likelihood of contracting them but there is a particularly stark difference in the likelihood of contracting liver cancers for those who are healthy and those who are not.
Since hepatocellular carcinoma is the most commonly found cancer in the liver, it stands to reason that a healthy liver is less likely to contract cancer. Particularly when one considers the fact that it is a primary liver cancer rather than cancer that spread to the liver but originated in other parts of the body.
However, there are more things than a generally healthy diet and exercise regimen that can contribute to the overall health of your liver and can ward off this carcinoma.
Where does it come from?
People who drink large amounts of alcohol have a high chance of contracting hepatocellular carcinoma due to the challenges that alcohol presents to the liver. Alcohol abuse can cause cirrhosis of the liver, which would increase the likelihood of cancer appearing in the body.
Another potential cause of this cancer is the existence of an infection in the liver since that would also lower the quality of health and the liver’s ability to fight off any additional illness. Hepatitis B or C would increase your chances of contracting this particular cancer as well since these are two infections that significantly impact this organ.
There are other diet and lifestyle issues that can lead to this carcinoma such as obesity and diabetes. Of course, these are simply contributing factors but they can certainly increase your chances of contraction. Anyone who has a buildup of fat deposits in the liver, as many who deal with obesity or unhealthy diets do, is increasing their chances of contracting hepatocellular carcinoma.
Additionally to fat deposits, if one’s body has any challenges in storing iron then that can cause a dangerous buildup as well and could lead to this form of liver cancer.
There is also a chemical called Aflatoxin that can be found in the mold on peanuts, corn and other produce items. There have been links to this chemical and liver cancer but it is heavily regulated by the US government to ensure food and drink safety.
How can you tell?
There are no guaranteed signs for whether or not you have hepatocellular carcinoma – liver cancer, so it is highly recommended that you see a doctor if you are even slightly concerned that you may have this disease. However, there are certain symptoms that should help you listen more accurately to what your body is trying to tell you.
The liver is closely connected to what you eat, so the disruption in its functionality that would happen with cancer will be felt in the area of your diet. You can feel pain in the upper right chamber of your abdomen, it can even go so far as a lump. You can feel a loss of appetite and that can result in weight loss or feeling full easily.
There can also be bloating in your belly or swelling in that area. Feeling weak and tired can also be signs of this cancer, or nausea and vomiting. Changes in the eyes and skin turning more yellow or changes in the texture or color in your bowel movements or urine can also be symptoms.
It is extremely rare for only one factor to contribute to anyone’s cancer, so these symptoms are not going to fall neatly into one category without understanding all of the other potential contributing factors in your life. It is always recommended to share these symptoms with a medical professional so that they can ask questions about other lifestyle choices, genetic history and anything else that may make these symptoms more or less likely to cause hepatocellular carcinoma.
How do I find it?
There are multiple options in how a doctor could diagnose any cancer, and this liver cancer is no exception to that rule. There are three main categories of tests that are relied on for this diagnosis and each one plays a different role: blood tests, image tests and a biopsy.
When humans are born, we tend to have high levels of protein AFP in our bloodstreams. The amount of this protein diminishes greatly after birth, but if you have high amounts of it later in life then it could be an indication that you have contracted carcinoma – liver cancer.
There are many different types of imaging tests and all of them can be utilized to look for cancers in the body. Your doctor may order a CT scan, MRI or ultrasound to make images of your liver with the various tools in each scan. Once a medical professional has a good image of the liver, they can typically tell how healthy it is.
Lastly, the doctor may feel that more direct testing is necessary and in this case, may order a biopsy. This is where the doctor may take a small piece of your liver and test it for cancer markers. Typically, this is a test that is done to rule out any microscopic cancer or for cancers that result in inconclusive blood and imaging tests.
How do I treat carcinoma – liver cancer?
There are many treatment options for all cancer and the best option for you or your loved one will be best discussed with the medical professional who is most familiar with your particular case. Many treatment options are standard across many different forms of cancer and others are more effective with this particular liver cancer.
Radiation, both external and internal, can be helpful in fighting back against hepatocellular carcinoma by using rays to kill your cancer cells. Chemotherapy is also a very common treatment option for this cancer and it is a method of delivering cancer-killing drugs to your affected organ.
Alcohol injection therapy is designed to pump ethanol into targeted areas of the body that will kill cancer cells. Targeted therapy is another treatment option that is designed to be placed strategically in targeted areas but is designed to change the characteristics of cancer cells or change the proteins that typically help tumors grow.
Immunotherapy is a treatment that is focused on the improvement of your own body’s immune system to help it fight cancer in your liver on its own. There are more experimental options like the cryoablation or radiofrequency ablations that allow the doctor to destroy your tumor through either heat or freezing. This is done through a thin, metal tube that is inserted to the area with the tumor and can also be done with an electrical current.
If none of these treatment options work for your body, there are surgical options that normally are seen as a last resort. If medication and other treatments cannot reduce the amount of cancer in your body, then a portion of your liver may be removed if it holds enough of your cancer to make a significant impact on your health.
The final resort if the liver is too damaged from the cancer is to put the patient on a transplant list. If a healthy liver matches your body’s needs then there are high hopes for your ability to make a recovery. The waitlist for a healthy liver can be long, so the available organs go to those who are the most ill and in immediate need. As a result, your liver may not be available for a long time and you may need to keep up with other treatment options in the meantime.