The liver in our body is involved in many processes and plays an important role. This type of oncology ranks 7th among tumors in terms of occurrence and 3rd in mortality. There are two forms of the disease:
- Primary (originates directly from liver cells).
- Secondary (occurs due to the spread of metastases from another primary lesion). In terms of frequency of occurrence, this form occurs more often than the first by 20%.
In this article we will take a closer look at this disease - liver cancer - its signs, causes and treatment.
What can lead to liver cancer?
- Viral hepatitis B.
- Excess of iron compounds in the body, as well as syphilis, parasitic lesions of the liver, cholelithiasis.
- Cirrhosis of the liver leads to cancer in 60-90% of cases.
- Presence of aflatoxins.
- Problem with metabolism, in particular a disease such as diabetes.
- Alcohol addiction, smoking, exposure to carcinogens.
- Anabolic steroids.
- Contraceptives.
How to recognize the disease?
Liver cancer signs are as follows:
-
Liver cancer course of the disease lethargy, fatigue;
- jaundice (yellowish tint to the skin and whites of the eyes);
- feeling of swelling in the liver (or enlargement of the abdomen);
- swelling of the legs, lower back;
- nosebleed;
- pain in the lumbar region, upper abdomen and right hypochondrium;
- nausea, vomiting;
- fever;
- intestinal disorders, flatulence, diarrhea;
- weight loss;
- ascites (late stages).
The presence of these symptoms may indicate that liver cancer is possible. Signs in the early stages may resemble a normal malaise, but if for several months you have reduced or completely no appetite, pain in the abdomen, and you are rapidly losing weight, then you should see a doctor.
How can cancer be diagnosed?
Diagnosing liver cancer is a complex process. It includes the following procedures: ultrasound, MRI, CT, angiography, laparoscopy, biopsy, blood test.
Stages of liver cancer
There are four stages of the disease:
- I is a single tumor in the liver that does not involve blood vessels.
- II – multiple tumors or blood vessels affected.
- III - is divided into subspecies. Subtype A - several tumors, larger than five centimeters, affecting parts of the vein, B - the tumor has spread to the outer part of the liver and other organs, except for the gallbladder, C - metastases in the spine and ribs.
- IV stage of the disease -cancer cells have spread throughout the body.
Liver cancer treatment
The most effective method of getting rid of a disease such as liver cancer, the signs of which we examined earlier, is surgery. But it is used in the event that a small tumor is present and it is isolated. This can only be determined by opening the abdominal cavity. But even after the operation, the patient can only live from three to five years. In the later stages of the disease, only symptomatic treatment is used. Chemotherapy is ineffective in this case. People diagnosed with liver cancer should be closely monitored for the course of the disease. A feature of the oncology of this organ is too active development. When diagnosed with liver cancer, life expectancy will depend on the stage of the disease.
