HomeDigestive System SurgeryLiver Cancer

Liver Cancer

Liver Cancer

Liver cancer is caused by the deterioration of cells in the liver. The liver is located in the upper right part of the abdominal cavity, above the stomach and below the diaphragm. Cancer types that occur in the liver can manifest themselves in several different varieties. The most common type of liver cancer is hepatocyte cancer.

However, the cancer may have originated in another part of the body but may have subsequently metastasized to the liver. Therefore, it does not mean that all cancers observed in the liver originate from cells in the liver. Cancer in other organs may have spread to the liver.

Symptoms of Liver Cancer

  • Appearance of loss of appetite
  • Pain in the upper abdomen
  • Weakness
  • Fatigue, weakness, exhaustion
  • Vomiting and nausea
  • Involuntary weight loss
  • Occurrence of yellowing of the skin
  • Yellowing under the eyes
  • Stool turning white
  • Fever, itching
  • Back pain
  • Anemia
  • Abdominal pain and mass formation are among the main symptoms.

Primary liver cancer does not show excessive symptoms in the early stages. For this reason, since this type of cancer does not cause any symptoms in the early stages, it is important for those who have cirrhosis, people who have had hereditary liver disease, those who have fatty liver, those who consume excessive alcohol and those who have had chronic infectious diseases, to have their examinations done regularly. Thus, early diagnosis of liver cancer can be made. Effective and successful results can be obtained in the treatment of early diagnosed liver cancer.

Risk Factors of Liver Cancer

The main known symptoms of liver cancer are:

  • Cirrhosis
  • Chronic infections caused by HBV or HCV viruses
  • Blood sugar problem
  • Fatty liver disease
  • Hereditary liver diseases
  • Aflatoxins
  • There is excessive use of alcohol.

The causes of primary liver cancer are not completely clear. Cancer can occur due to the combination of many factors. In some cases, the cause may be obvious. Chronic infections such as hepatitis virus can lead to liver cancer. Excessive alcohol consumption, fatty liver disease, blood sugar disorder, hereditary liver diseases, chronic infections such as cirrhosis or HBV have been identified as important risk factors. Primary liver cancer arises from abnormal deteriorations in the structure and DNA of liver cells.

Chronic infections with hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus are important risk factors for liver cancer. If you have these chronic diseases, you can have some tests done to diagnose liver cancer for early diagnosis. Hereditary liver diseases can also be Wilson’s disease and hemochromatosis disease. However, fatty liver disease also manifests as excessive accumulation of fat in the liver. Aflatoxins, on the other hand, are poisons and are found in foods made in the form of poisonous molds, in some crops such as peanuts or corn.

Diagnosis of Liver Cancer

In order to diagnose primary liver cancer, some tests, analyzes and examinations are performed. These tests are; blood tests and imaging tests. At the same time, a tissue from the liver is taken and examined as a sample. Blood tests determine whether liver function is working properly. Imaging tests; computed tomography scan. At the same time, magnetic resonance (MR) imaging tests are performed. In addition, a biopsy is performed when tissue is taken from the liver. For biopsy, a needle is inserted through the skin into the liver and the tissue is examined through a microscope. Liver biopsy may have adverse risks such as infection, bruising and bleeding.

Treatment Options for Primary Liver Cancer

Although there are many treatment methods for primary liver cancer, which treatment method will be applied depends on the stage of the tumor and the type of tumor. Surgical procedures can be applied in treatment methods. The surgical method covers the removal of the tumor from the area where it is located.

If the stage of liver cancer is very advanced and advanced, then the surgical procedure here may not be appropriate for liver functions. Because surgical procedures to be performed at very advanced stages may adversely affect the functions of the liver. Some risks such as bleeding and infection may occur with the surgical operation. Therefore, chemotherapy and radiotherapy can also be applied in patients with very advanced stages of liver cancer. Wide range of radiation is used with radiotherapy application. Radiotherapy is administered in 30-40 sessions divided into small doses. Treatment is long term. This treatment method can cause liver failure in some patients.

The surgical treatment of liver cancer is done in two ways. Surgery can be performed to remove the tumor. Apart from this, liver transplant surgery is performed. In order to perform liver transplant surgery, the cancerous liver is completely removed and the liver is transplanted to the patient. This method is being tried in people with early-stage liver cancer.

Surgical surgery is recommended if the tumor causing liver cancer is small, has not spread, and there is no situation where liver functions will be adversely affected. In order to perform a surgical operation, it is important that the patient’s general health condition is both good and that the liver functions are fully functional. However, there are treatment methods that are applied locally. local treatments; heating cancer cells, freezing cancer cells, injecting alcohol into the tumor, chemotherapy method, radiation methods.

Suggestions to Do to Prevent Liver Cancer

In order to reduce the risk factors for primary liver cancer, it is necessary to prevent cirrhosis. In order to prevent the risk of cirrhosis, it is necessary to reach and stay at a healthy weight, and to use alcohol in moderation. However, it is important to be careful with chemicals. It is recommended to exercise and move, to adopt a healthy diet as a lifestyle. Thus, measures are taken to reduce the risk of cirrhosis to prevent liver cancer. However, hepatitis B vaccine can be given. Hepatitis B vaccine can be given to anyone, including babies, people with low immunity, young people and the elderly.

Some measures can be taken to prevent hepatitis C, which is one of the important risk factors that will lead to the formation of primary liver cancer. There is no hepatitis C vaccine, but some precautions can be taken to reduce the risk of hepatitis C infection. When tattooing or piercing, it must be done in a hygienic environment. Care should be taken to ensure that the needles used are sterilized. The hepatitis C virus can be spread easily if needles are not sterilized cleanly. You may choose not to use intravenous medications. If you are going to use these drugs, it is important that the needle is absolutely clean. Since hepatitis C can also be transmitted sexually, it is necessary to protect against these infections sexually.

BY IMAGING THE IMAGING TEST AT THIS STAGE, IT CAN BE SEEN THAT THE PANCREATIC CANCER IS AT STAGE 0. IN STAGE ONE THE CANCER HAS STARTED TO GROW AND IT IS ONLY IN THE PANCREATIC REGION. AT THE SECOND STAGE, THE CANCER GROWS OUTSIDE OF THE PANCREA AND STARTS TO DISPLAY TOWARDS THE LYMPH GLANDS. IN THE THIRD STAGE, CANCER SPREADS TO LARGER AREAS SUCH AS VESSELS AND NERVE. IN THE FOURTH STAGE, CANCER IS SPREADING TO MANY DISTENT ORGANS SUCH AS THE LIVER.

Stages of Liver Cancer

After the symptoms of primary liver cancer, the diagnosis is made with the necessary tests and techniques. The stage of the cancer is then determined. In other words, the stage of spread of cancer is also important for treatment. Staging tests are performed to determine the universe. Thus, the size of the cancer, whether it has spread and where the cancer is located are determined.

Different methods and techniques are used to determine the stage of liver cancer. For this, imaging techniques and bone scans are performed to determine the stage.