Liver Cancer

Liver cancer is particularly dangerous in that it often presents few or no symptoms until after it has spread. According to the American Cancer Society, symptoms of liver cancer can include:

• Itchy skin
• Unexplained or abnormal bleeding or bruising
• Unexplained weight loss
• Enlarged veins on the abdomen that can be seen through the skin
• Loss of appetite
• Unexplained or recurring fever
• Vomiting and nausea
• Swelling or a feeling of fullness under the ribs, which may be the result of an enlarged liver or spleen
• Jaundice, which is a yellowing of the eyes and skin
• Swelling of the abdomen, which may be caused by fluid build-up

In addition, some liver tumors may affect the production of hormones, which can have impacts on other organs. According to the ACS, these hormonal changes may cause:

• High levels of calcium in the blood (AKA hypercalcemia), which can cause unexplained nausea, mental confusion, constipation, fatigue or muscle issues.
• Low blood sugar (AKA hypoglycemia) which can cause fatigue and unexplained fainting
• Breast enlargement and testicle shrinkage in men
• High levels of red blood cells, which can cause a person’s face to look flushed
• Unexplained high cholesterol

According to the American Cancer Society, the annual rate of liver cancer diagnosis in the U.S. has more than tripled since 1980. Though the root cause of liver cancer is still unknown, there are a number of factors that are believed to raise your risk of developing liver cancer. These include:

• Having cirrhosis, which is a disease that causes scar tissue to form inside the liver. Cirrhosis has several potential causes, but is most often due to people having a long-term hepatitis infection or abusing alcohol. According to the American Cancer Society, most people who develop liver cancer show signs of cirrhosis
• Abusing alcohol, which is the leading cause of cirrhosis in the U.S.
• Smoking
• Being obese
• Long-term abuse of anabolic steroids
• Exposure to vinyl chloride, which is a chemical used in the plastics industry.
• Exposure to thorium dioxide, aka Thorotrast, which is a chemical that was once injected into patients in preparation for some x-ray imaging tests.
• Having Type 2 diabetes
• Your gender, as HCC is much more common in men than women.
  Your race and ethnicity, as Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, Hispanics, Native Americans and African Americans all have a higher liver cancer diagnosis rate than caucasians.
• Being diagnosed with chronic viral hepatitis, as chronic, long-term infection with the hepatitis B or C virus is the most common risk factor for liver cancer worldwide according to the American Cancer Society.
• Having non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, which is a condition commonly seen in people who are obese. Those with a subtype of the disease called non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) may develop cirrhosis, which may increase their risk of developing primary liver cancer.
• Having primary biliary cirrhosis, an autoimmune disorder that damages the bile ducts in the liver and which can lead to cirrhosis.
• Having certain metabolic diseases, including hereditary hemochromatosis.

Ways to reduce your risk of developing liver cancer may include:

• Use alcohol in moderation
• Avoid Type 2 diabetes by cutting sugar and eating a healthy diet.
• Avoid being overweight by eating a healthy diet and getting regular exercise to avoid being overweight. Here at Hoag, we offer help with weight management to help reduce this risk and others that come with being overweight.
• Don’t smoke