10 symptoms of liver cancer

**According to international statistics, liver cancer is one of the most common types of fatal malignant tumors. Fortunately, today there are many treatments for liver cancer, but similar to all cancers, the treatment of this disease depends on the timely diagnosis, the type of tumor, the extent of cancer spread, the condition of the liver and the general health of the person. In this article, while introducing the 10 symptoms of liver cancer, we will introduce the types of liver cancer and its treatment and prevention methods.**

**Types of liver cancer** **Generally, liver cancer is divided into two primary and secondary types.** - **Primary liver cancer** **Primary liver cancers originate from the liver. The primary type depends on the type of liver cell from which it originates. Among primary liver cancers, hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common cancer and accounts for about 90% of all liver cancers worldwide.** ** Epidemiological data show that hepatocellular carcinoma is the fifth most common cancer in the world. Liver cirrhosis has the highest risk of developing primary liver cancer. About 80% of liver carcinomas have been found in cases of liver cirrhosis.** - **secondary cancer** **Secondary liver cancer starts from other organs and is transferred to the liver. Cancer of other organs such as colorectal cancer, pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer and lung cancer may cause liver cells to become cancerous, which are called secondary liver cancer.**

**10 symptoms of liver cancer** **Knowing the symptoms of any disease helps a person to consult a specialist doctor and seek appropriate treatment in time. In the following, we examine the 10 common symptoms of liver cancer.** **1) Abdominal swelling** **Abdominal swelling or ascites is one of the obvious symptoms of liver cancer, which occurs due to the accumulation of fluid in the peritoneal cavity to neutralize malfunctioning cells (cancer cells) of the liver. Abdominal swelling is often visible from the outside. A physical examination of the abdomen can determine whether the cause of the distension is ascites or not. Abdominal ultrasound can also confirm the diagnosis better.** **2) Enlarged spleen** **In more advanced stages of liver cancer, the liver or spleen may become enlarged, causing expansion in the corresponding outer area. In this situation, the enlargement of the liver is evident as a mass under the ribs on the right side of the body, and the enlarged spleen is felt as a mass under the ribs on the left side.** **3) Jaundice** **People with liver cancer may experience jaundice (yellowish color in the skin and whites of the eyes). This color change occurs when there is a large amount of yellow-orange substance called bilirubin in the blood. Bilirubin is found in red blood cells, and after they die, the liver must remove it from the bloodstream and into waste products awaiting elimination. When the liver has a malignant tumor, it may gradually lose the capacity to filter bilirubin, causing jaundice.** **4) Abdominal pain** **Many people with liver cancer report pain in the upper abdomen that ranges from mild to moderate discomfort. This pain may be attributed to ascites, or the accumulation of fluid that puts pressure on the lining of the stomach during severe abdominal expansion. When the liver or spleen is enlarged, it compresses the stomach and causes pain. In many cases, pain occurs or worsens after meals.** **5) loss of appetite** **Liver cancer causes loss of appetite in most people. Often, portion sizes and meal frequency decrease for no apparent reason. In addition, people report a feeling of fullness in the stomach even after the smallest meals. Lack of appetite is not only one symptom, but can also aggravate other symptoms, as it leads to insufficient energy consumption and nutrient deficiencies.**

**6) Abnormal feces** **When there is an emptying problem in the biliary system, the quality of stool changes. Tumors in the liver cause liver dysfunction. Bile salts are usually excreted by the liver into the stool and give the bowel movements their natural color. The lack of these salts makes the stool pale, white or chalky. While this may occasionally occur in healthy people, frequent recurrences of abnormal stools may be a sign of liver cancer.** **7) Itchy skin** **There are several reasons why liver cancer may cause itching. Itching can be caused by cancer treatment (ie, chemotherapy) or the cancer itself. Itching may also occur when the body's ability to clear certain toxins has decreased due to liver cancer. In addition, medical professionals associate itching with an increase in the amount of bilirubin that causes jaundice in the system.** **8) Nausea** **The presence of tumors in the liver may cause frequent nausea and vomiting, especially after eating. Considering the vital role of the liver in the digestive process, when the organ is not able to perform its metabolic function properly, such digestive disorders may occur.** **9) Unwanted weight loss** **With the decrease in appetite and the increase in the energy required by the body to produce malignant cells and also to fight the disease, there is a gap between the body's needs and its supply of nutrients. This results in rapid and unwanted weight loss over a period of several months. The muscle loss that people with cancer experience also leads to weight loss. Any rapid and unexplained weight loss should be medically evaluated.** **10) General fatigue** **People with liver cancer often feel tired and weak. This discomfort is due to the high energy consumption required by the cancer cells and the immune response in an attempt to fight them. When food does not adequately meet energy needs, the result is fatigue. Fatigue may also be due to anemia that occurs in people with cancer. Cancer treatments can cause fatigue because cancer cells affect the bone marrow and cause a decrease in the number of red blood cells (anemia).**

**Who is at risk of liver cancer?** - **People who have a family history of hereditary liver diseases are at risk and therefore should see a doctor to diagnose this disease.** - **Patients with obesity, chronic viral hepatitis, chronic hepatitis B virus infection and people addicted to alcohol are at high risk of contracting this disease.**

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**Methods to reduce the risk of liver cancer** ** As stated, the most important factors that increase the risk of liver cancer are hepatitis virus, obesity, alcohol consumption and fatty liver. So by treating these diseases, you can greatly help the health of the liver.** - **vaccination for hepatitis disease** **The most common risk factor for liver cancer is chronic hepatitis infection, including hepatitis B and C. People infected with hepatitis B and C virus are more at risk of liver cirrhosis and liver cancer.** **Hepatitis may be transmitted from one person to another through bodily fluids such as contaminated needles, blood transfusions, and sexual contact or during childbirth. Fortunately, hepatitis B and C are preventable diseases and there is an effective vaccine for hepatitis B. However, there is currently no vaccine for hepatitis C. However, very effective treatment options are available for this disease. On the other hand, hepatitis C has less significant symptoms, and people who are at risk of hepatitis C must be screened.** **High-risk individuals such as healthcare workers who touch needles containing blood from hepatitis patients, patients receiving long-term hemodialysis, people who inject drugs, and those taking long-term immunosuppressive drugs.** ** Screening not only helps prevent liver cancer, but can also prevent other complications such as chronic inflammation of the liver. Vaccination against hepatitis is one of the simplest measures to prevent liver inflammation and carcinogenesis caused by the hepatitis virus.** - **Treatment of fatty liver** **Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is one of the diseases that increases the risk of liver cancer. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is the accumulation of fat in liver cells that is not caused by alcohol.** ** If 5 to 10% of the weight of the liver is fat, it is called fatty liver or steatosis. People with high triglycerides, obesity, or diabetes are more likely to develop nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. This condition may cause liver ulcer or cirrhosis.** **Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease remains asymptomatic and may be found accidentally during ultrasound. If symptoms occur, they may include fatigue, weight loss, abdominal pain, jaundice, edema in the legs, and a swollen abdomen or ascites. Liver enzymes may also increase.** **Maintaining a healthy weight and choosing a healthy diet rich in fiber, fruits, vegetables, whole grains can play a significant role in balancing fat metabolism. Also, losing extra weight, staying active and doing moderate daily exercise is necessary to prevent fatty liver disease.** - **Reduce alcohol consumption** **Chronic alcohol abuse causes an excessive increase in free radicals and acetaldehyde, which ultimately leads to abnormal cell function. Ethanol metabolism is also associated with pathways that are associated with the activation of carcinogens, changes in the cell cycle, nutritional deficiencies, and altered immune responses.** **Therefore, it is important to understand that alcohol consumption is a precursor to liver cirrhosis and subsequently increases the risk of liver cancer. Alcohol is also responsible for alcoholic fatty liver. Alcoholic fatty liver or alcoholic hepatitis is characterized by fat deposition in liver cells, inflammation and scarring of cells.** **Symptoms may include loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, fever, jaundice, and abdominal pain. An effective way to prevent alcohol-related liver disease is to stop drinking alcohol. A person with alcoholic cirrhosis who does not quit drinking has less than a 50% chance of living for at least the next 5 years.** ** Of course, fortunately in our country, alcohol consumption is not common and this case is one of the cases related to a healthy life among Iranian people.** - **Care of the liver** ** The liver is an organ with amazing multi-tasks, whose activity is very important and vital in the human body, and it is no exaggeration to say that having a healthy liver is essential for the overall health and longevity of any person. The proper functioning of the liver leads to healthy metabolism, blood circulation, hormone regulation, strong digestion, etc.**

**By taking care of liver health, overall liver function can be improved. Consuming a diet rich in antioxidants, anti-inflammatory substances can greatly help liver function. Consuming enough water, maintaining a healthy body weight, eating healthy fats and regular exercise can help liver function.** ** Avoiding habits such as alcohol and smoking can greatly reduce stress and damage that can be done to the liver. When we are aware of our health and make healthy choices, we prevent the risk of liver cancer and even other diseases.** **You can contact us for more information and consultation.** Stay in touch with us

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