Liver cancer: symptoms, causes and treatment

Definition

What is liver cancer?

Liver cancer, also known as hepatoma and liver cancer, occurs when cancer cells arise in the liver. In this organ, there are several types of cancer that may form.

Several types of cancer that form in the liver, including hepatocellular carcinoma, namely cancer that starts from the hepatocytes or the main cells in the organ.

In addition, there are also several other types, such as intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and hepatoblastoma, although both are less common types.

If the hepatoma occurs only in the liver or liver, this cancer is a primary liver cancer. Meanwhile, if it has spread to other organs, it is called secondary liver cancer.

However, cancer that occurs in the liver is often the spread of cancer that occurs in other organs of the body. This means that cancer that starts in cells in the liver is less common.

As with other cancers, the life expectancy for liver cancer patients is five years. However, that doesn't mean you only have five years to live.

The reason is, this life expectancy is measured by the number of patients who can survive for five years after undergoing a diagnosis of this disease.

How common is liver cancer?

Liver cancer is a disease that is quite common and is more common in men than women, especially in men aged over 50 years.

The earlier the disease is diagnosed, the patient's chances of recovery are even greater. You can reduce your chances of developing liver cancer by reducing your risk factors.

Please consult your doctor for more information.

Signs & symptoms

What are the signs and symptoms of liver cancer?

After knowing what is meant by hepatoma, now is the time to understand the symptoms that the disease may cause. One in three patients does not show symptoms of liver cancer at the start.

Therefore, the symptoms of liver cancer that you experience may not always be the same for everyone. However, there are some symptoms of liver cancer that you may need to watch out for, such as the following:

• Drastic weight loss.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Pain in the upper right abdomen.
• An enlarged stomach for no reason.
• Eating disorders.
• Looks limp and lethargic (not energized).
• Jaundice / jaundice.
• Pale stools.

Therefore, make an appointment with your doctor if you have signs or symptoms of liver cancer. There may be other symptoms of liver cancer that have not been mentioned above. If you have concerns about any of the symptoms of liver cancer, please consult a doctor.

When to see a doctor?

If you have any of the symptoms listed above, or you have any questions or concerns, please consult your doctor. Every body functions differently from one another.

Always discuss with your doctor about the best diagnosis, treatment and treatment method that suits your condition.

Cause

What causes liver cancer?

Liver cancer occurs when cells in the liver begin to mutate in the DNA. Cells contained in DNA provide instructions for every chemical process that occurs in the body.

DNA mutations can cause changes to these instructions, potentially causing these cells to start going out of control and forming tumors.

The causes of liver cancer can sometimes be identified. For example, chronic hepatitis infection can be the cause of the condition. However, often this hepatoma occurs in people who have no signs or symptoms.

Other causes of hepatoma include cirrhosis or liver damage due to alcohol abuse, obesity, or fatty liver. There may be several causes of liver cancer not listed above.

If you are worried about other possible causes of liver cancer, don't hesitate to consult a doctor immediately. The doctor will provide more complete and accurate information to you.

Risk factors

What increases the risk of developing liver cancer?

Apart from the causes of hepatoma, there are also several risk factors that need to be considered. The reason is, you may have one of the many risks that increase your chances of experiencing this disease.

Some of the risk factors for liver cancer are:

• Gender.
• Hepatitis B or chronic hepatitis C.
• Cirrhosis.
• Inherited metabolic disease.
• Diabetes.
• Nonalcoholic fatty liver.
• Aflatoxin exposure.
• Alcohol abuse.
• Obesity.
• Smoke.

Therefore, if you have one or more of the risk factors for hepatoma as mentioned above, it is better to immediately consult a doctor.

It is important to determine an effective liver cancer prevention strategy according to your needs.

Diagnosis & Treatment

How do you diagnose liver cancer?

Some of the tests that your doctor may do to diagnose hepatoma are:

1. Blood test

This test is usually done on people who have cirrhosis or hepatitis B and C. The purpose of this test is to look for any irregularities or abnormalities that occur in the function of the liver organs.

However, this test is still uncertain because not everyone who has carcinoma of the liver cells also shows an abnormal blood test.

2. Image test

To confirm the diagnosis of a blood test, doctors usually combine it with other test results such as an ultrasound, CT scan or MRI of the liver.

If an ultrasound or CT scan or MRI image shows a tumor, sometimes doctors have to perform a biopsy of the liver, which takes a small tissue sample from the affected area and then studies it under a microscope to look for cancer cells.

If you are diagnosed with this one cancer, the doctor will also carry out further tests to determine the stages of the liver cancer you have.

What are the treatment options for liver cancer?

Treatment of this cancer depends on:

• The number, size, and location of tumors in the liver.
• How well the patient's liver is still working.
• The presence or absence of cirrhosis.
• Spread of tumors.

Well, depending on the factors above, some treatment options for liver cancer are:

• Operation.
• Ablation.
• Chemotherapy.
• Liver transplant.
• Radiation therapy or radiotherapy.
• Target therapy.
• Embolization and chemoembolization.

Complications

What are the possible complications of liver cancer?

According to Cancer Research UK, complications are less likely to occur after a patient has undergone treatment. There are several complications from this one cancer that need to be watched out for, including:

1. Infection

There is a risk of infection that the patient may experience after undergoing surgery. One of them is a stitch wound that is red or even feels sore. In fact, you may even feel unwell or have a temperature increase.

If you have any of these conditions, tell your doctor or nurse. Usually, a medical professional will help alleviate the condition by giving antibiotics, either in the form of oral medication or intravenous fluids.

2. Bleeding

A complication that may occur after receiving hepatoma treatment is bleeding. This condition usually occurs after surgery, because too much blood passes through the liver.

In addition, this organ does produce substances that can help blood to clot quickly. Therefore, if there is a problem or damage to the liver, the patient's potential for bleeding will be even higher.

3. Bile leak

Bile can help your body digest food by breaking down fat. The liver produces bile which is stored in the gallbladder.

The bile duct then carries the fluid and connects the liver with the gallbladder to the small intestine. At that time, there is the potential for bile leakage due to scratches that occur on the surface of the liver.

This condition can cause pain until the patient has a fever. Although it rarely happens, sometimes patients have to undergo another operation to reduce the leakage.

4. Kidney problems

There are also complications of liver cancer that may occur and affect the condition of the kidneys. The kidneys may not function properly after the patient has undergone surgery.

Your doctor will pay attention to the results of blood tests and the amount of urine produced after you have had surgery. The kidneys will recover over time, but some patients with this condition need dialysis after major surgery.

5. Fluid buildup

Another complication that may occur is the buildup of fluid in the stomach after undergoing liver surgery. This can happen for various reasons, including increasing pressure on one of the blood vessels in the liver.

6. Blood clots

A complication that can also occur due to surgery is blood clots, because during surgery the patient does not move as much as usual. Blood clots experienced by patients can obstruct normal blood flow throughout the body.

This blood clot can also travel to the lungs and cause blood clots in these organs. This can be characterized by shortness of breath, chest pain, coughing up blood, until the head feels dizzy and lightheaded.

This condition can actually be prevented, for example using stockings after surgery. You will also be given an injection every few weeks to thin the blood. In addition, your doctor will advise you to do physical activity such as exercising regularly.

Home remedies

What are the lifestyle changes or home remedies for liver cancer?

Some of the lifestyle changes for cancer patients and home remedies that can help you deal with liver cancer are:

• Routine health checks to the doctor to monitor the progress of these cancer symptoms and your overall health.
• Take medication according to doctor's orders. Do not delay, add to, or reduce the medication your doctor is giving you.
• Find as much information as possible about this cancer so you can make the right treatment decisions.
• Avoid drinking alcohol.
• Quit smoking.
• Pay attention to food intake by eating nutritious and highly nutritious foods.
• Exercise regularly.

If you have any questions, please consult with your doctor to better understand the best solution for you.