What is Liver Cancer?

Liver Cancer

Every body want to know What is Liver cancer and how to treat it? Liver Cancer also known, as hepatic cancer is one of the most common cancer diseases found largely among Asian and African rather than European and Americans. It is the third most deadly disease that kills almost every patient within a year of detection. The most common Liver cancer is known as Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), also called as malignant hepatoma. It is different from metastatic liver cancer that starts in another organ (such as the breast or colon) and spreads to the liver.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is found more common in men of the 50 years of age, however it can varies in different parts of the world. Children and adolescents can only develop HCC if they suffer from congenital liver disorders. The most cases of Hepatocellular carcinoma occur either due to either a viral hepatitide infection (hepatitis B or C) or cirrhosis. Excessive alcoholism is the most common cause of liver cirrhosis. Another cause of HCC is tumour inside the liver.

Main Causes of Liver Cancer

Liver Cirrhosis is the most common cause found in most of the cases that occur from the following causes:

• Alcohol abuse


• Autoimmune diseases of the liver


• Hepatitis B or C virus infection


• Chronic inflammation of the liver


• Iron overload in the body (hemochromatosis)

Note: Patients with hepatitis B or C are at risk for liver cancer, even if they have not developed cirrhosis.

Signs and symptoms of Liver Cancer

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is known as primary liver cancer while metastatic liver cancer is known as secondary cancer. HCC occurs in the liver due to abnormally development of cancerian hepatocytes (cancerous liver tissues). The scarcity of liver enhances produce cirrhosis. HCC shows the symptoms of loss of appetite, unintentional weight loss, abdominal pain, especially in the upper - right part, nausea, emesis, or fatigue.

HCC may present with jaundice, bloating from ascites, easy bruising from blood clotting abnormalities.

Following tests are done to confirm the existence of HCC:

• Abdominal CT scan


• Abdominal ultrasound


• Liver biopsy


• Liver enzymes (liver function tests); Liver MRI


• Serum alpha fetoprotein

Some high-risk patients may get regular blood tests and ultrasounds to see whether tumors are developing

Risk factors of Liver Cancer

The risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in type 2 diabetics is greater depending on the duration of diabetes and treatment protocol. When hepatocellular adenomas grow to a size of more than 6-8 cm, they are considered cancerous and thus become a risk of hepatocellular carcinoma.

The main risk factors for hepatocellular carcinoma are:

• Alcoholism


• Hepatitis B


• Hepatitis C


• Aflatoxin


• Cirrhosis of the liver


• Hemochromatosis


• Wilsons disease


• Type 2 Diabetes

What are the Prevention majors of Liver Cancer

The major factor behind hepatocellular carcinoma is the infection of hepatitis B or C virus, which vaccine is available in the market. If person is vaccinated from these vaccines in the childhood, the risk of liver cancer reduces in the future. Avoid excessive use of alcohol that is another major factor of liver cancer. But, if you have chronic hepatitis or known cirrhosis, you should go for periodic screening with liver ultrasound or measurement of blood alpha fetoprotein levels to detect this cancer early.

Liver Cancer Treatment Tips

The Treatment of hepatocellular Carcinoma is not easy. However, the best treatment of HCC is surgery, if it is detected in the early stage. However, HCC has been detected at very early stage in very few cases. Liver Transplant is another option, however it is a very risky surgical process as well as very expensive too. In India, it costs to approximately Rs. 15 lakhs.

Radiation therapy also works over the cancerous tissues if patient does not have cirrhosis or any other liver diseases, otherwise, it will enhance the complexity.

The invention of Sorafenib tosylate (Nexavar), an oral medicine that blocks the growth of tumour is new hope in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. Now, it has been approved to prescribe in the advance stage of HCC too.

Treatment of Liver Cancer in Ayurveda

Ayurvedic medicine system claims to treat Hepatocellular Carcinoma, by preventing the growth of the tumour and cirrhosis. According to Ayurveda, prevention is better than cure and liver cancer can be prevented by elimination the three doshas (Pitta, Amavata and kafa). The Panchkarma process works better to eliminate the tridosha and keep balance of five elements: Akasha (dark particles), Vayu (air), Agni (fire), Jal (water) and Prithvi (earth).

Other Liver Cancer Related Information as bellows:

Liver Cancer Herbal Treatment

Ayurvedic Treatment for Lever Cancer

Ayurvedic Medicine Lever Cancer