Liver cancer is a type of malignant tumor that originates in the cells that make up the liver, such as hepatocytes, the bile ducts, or blood vessels, and is usually quite aggressive. It can cause symptoms, which usually appear in the later stages of the disease and include abdominal pain, nausea, loss of appetite, weight loss, and yellow eyes.
People with fatty liver disease, cirrhosis of the liver, or who use anabolic steroids have an increased risk of developing this cancer, which is usually identified by an abdominal exam, such as an ultrasound or CT scan, that can detect one or more nodules. in the liver.
- Treatment is performed by surgery and chemotherapy.
- Depending on the size and severity of each case.
- And the chances of recovery are greater when the tumor is identified early.
- In the early stages.
- When liver cancer is no longer cured.
- Hope life span is approximately 5 years.
- But this value may vary depending on the degree of development of the disease and other diseases of the patient.
The most common symptoms that can occur in liver cancer include
Unfortunately, these symptoms usually appear when the cancer is already well developed, and therefore, in most cases, liver cancer can be discovered at an advanced stage, lowering your chances of recovery.
Thus, when there are risk factors, such as excessive alcohol consumption or liver disease, it is important to visit the hepatologist regularly to frequently evaluate the liver and observe any changes that may occur.
In cases where any of these symptoms appear or there are many risk factors, it is advisable to go to a hepatologist for diagnostic tests, such as an abdominal ultrasound, a CT scan or an MRI, to confirm if there are any changes that may indicate the presence. of a spot or nodule that suggests a tumor.
It is important to remember that not all lumps or cysts in the liver indicate cancer and you should wait for the doctor to analyze its characteristics and conclude if there is a risk or not, if suspicious changes are identified, the doctor may order a biopsy of a piece of liver to check in the laboratory for cancer cells in the organ. Understand when the liver cyst is dangerous.
For less suspicious cases, it is recommended to repeat the tests periodically, every year or every 3 years, depending on each case, in order to monitor for growth or development of new characteristics that may indicate cancer.
Although anyone can develop liver cancer, this type of cancer is more common in people with:
In addition, long-term cases of ulcerative colitis or sclerosing cholangitis can also develop liver cancer more easily.
In almost all cases, liver cancer treatment is done by surgery to remove the entire affected area. However, chemotherapy or radiation therapy may be necessary before surgery to make the cancer smaller and easier to remove.
In more severe cases, when the cancer is highly developed or spreads to other organs, chemotherapy and radiation therapy can also be used only after surgery to try to remove the remaining cancer cells.
If there is another disease, such as cirrhosis, removing part of the liver can be more difficult, so your doctor may recommend a liver transplant to try to cure it. Find out more about this form of treatment.
Liver cancer can be primary, that is, when it occurs directly in the liver, or may be secondary, by metastasis or the spread of cancer from other organs, such as the lungs, stomach, intestine or breast, for example.
The most common type of primary liver cancer is hepatocellular carcinoma or hepatocellular carcinoma, which is also the most aggressive, and comes from the main cells that make up the liver, called hepatocytes. Another common primary tumor is cholangiocarcinoma, which originates in the bile ducts. more on the symptoms and treatment of bile duct cancer.
Other rarer types of tumors include liver carcinoma, angiosarcoma, or fibrolamellar hepatoblastoma, for example.