It’s estimated that 42,230 adults in the U.S. will be diagnosed with liver cancer in 2021. Of that, men will be the primary gender affected, for a total of 29,890. It’s also estimated that 30,230 deaths will occur from this disease.
The best way to protect you and your loved ones is through education. Knowing what to look for can result in an early diagnosis, which improves the prognosis. In this article, we will break down the common signs, symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and treatment of liver cancer.
Signs and Symptoms
Liver cancer can be hard to spot in the early stage because symptoms typically do not appear until the cancer progresses. If you’re noticing changes in your health, make an appointment with your doctor to discuss testing.
Common signs and symptoms of living cancer include:
- Unexplained weight loss – Weight loss without any changes in diet or exercise.
- Pain in the upper abdomen – Pain can occur unexpectedly where the liver is located.
- Swelling in the abdomen – Swelling may occur in the abdominal region.
- Loss of appetite – A decrease or loss of appetite for no obvious reason.
- Vomiting and nausea – Nausea and subsequent vomiting for no obvious reason.
- Jaundice – Yellowing of the skin or eyes may occur in later stages.
- White stool – White, pale or chalky stool occurs due to a lack of bile, normally produced by the liver.
- Weakness and fatigue – Like with many types of cancer, a patient may experience general weakness and fatigue.
Although these symptoms can be indicators of liver cancer, they also mimic other ailments. It’s important to check with your doctor to receive a proper diagnosis.
Causes and Risk Factors
Sometimes liver cancer is caused by a mutation in a person’s DNA that causes the liver cells to rapidly mutate. However, there are factors that increase a person’s likelihood of developing the disease, including:
- Chronic hepatitis B or C
- Inherited liver diseases
- Aflatoxins exposure from exposed foods
- Excessive alcohol consumption
- Cirrhosis
- Fatty liver disease (non-alcoholic)
- Diabetes
While you can’t control all of these factors, maintaining a healthy weight, getting vaccinated against hepatitis and limiting your alcohol consumption can greatly reduce the likelihood of getting liver cancer.
How Liver Cancer is Diagnosed
Many patients receive a diagnosis after a routine test when they see their doctors about a liver issue. If you think you may have liver cancer, your doctor will go through a testing process to determine a diagnosis. This is how your doctors may do it.
- Health History – Your doctor will ask you about your health, risk factors and any past medical issues
- Physical Exam – An exam of your abdominal will be done by your doctor
- Image Screening – CT scans allow the doctor to see if there are signs of liver cancer in or on the organ, and if there are, to check for tumor size, shape and location.
- Lab Testing – Your doctor may send you to get lab testing done to check for liver function, which can have cancer indications.
- Biopsy – The most common biopsy is a needle biopsy. The needle will remove a small piece of the organ so it can be sent off for lab testing to check for signs of liver cancer.
Your healthcare provider may choose to do one or all of these to get an accurate diagnosis.
Treatment Options
If you are diagnosed with liver cancer, your doctor will first determine its stage, from very early stage to end stage. Then a treatment plan will be determined, which may include surgery. Surgery is a common treatment for small tumors in early stages of the disease. Other common options include:
- Chemotherapy
- Transplant
- Radiation
- Immunotherapy
- Ablation (using needles)
- Targeted drug therapy
- Embolization (injection)
It’s vital that if you or someone you know is experiencing any of these symptoms that you talk to your doctor for a professional opinion. The sooner you get a diagnosis, the higher your chance for a full recovery. Search online for more information about this disease so you have the knowledge in case you or anyone you care for develops symptoms.