Cancer of Liver

 Cancer of LiverCancer of Liver

Cancer of Liver


 

 

Terms You Should Know : 

  • Ascites : Accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity. 

  • Aflotoxins : Chemicals that are produced by a mold; can cause liver cancer. 

  • Carcinoembryonic Antigen ( CEA): Its presence in blood is suggestive of liver cancer. 

  • Cirrhosis : A chronic disease of liver. 

  • Fibrosis : The formation of fibrous tissue, or scarring. 

  • Fulminant : Running a speedy course, with rapid worsening. 

  • Hepatitis : Inflammation of the liver; generally considered acute if duration is less than six months, chronic if greater than six months. 

  • Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) : A primary liver tumour more common in patients with cirrhosis. 

  • Jaundice : Increased levels of bilirubin with depostition of bile pigment in the skin, mucous membrances, and sclerae ( whites of eyes), resulting in a yellow appearance of the patient; also called icterus. 

There are two types of liver cancers. One is primary liver cancer, where the cancer arises from the liver itself, and the other is secondary or metastatic cancer, which reaches the liver from a primary tumour located at another site. Primary liver cancer can arise from the liver cells themselves ( hepatocellular carcinoma) or from the biliary tract, i.e. gall bladder. Secondary liver cancer is much more common than primary liver cancer. 

Causes 


Infection with the Hepatitits B virus ( HBV) is one of the important causes of liver cancer. About 10-20 per cent of people infected with HBV develop liver cancer. The longer one has been infected with the virus, the greater the likelihood of developing liver cancer. People with certain other liver diseases like cirrhosis have a higher-than-average chance of developing primary liver cancer.
Aflotoxins are produced by a mold that contaminates certain foods - such as peanuts, grains, and seeds. Prolonged ingestion of these chemicals can also lead to liver cancer. 
Secondary ( metastatic) cancer reaches the liver by spreading through the blood stream from a primary tumour at another site . In about 50 per cent of patients with metastatic liver cancer, the primary tumour is in the bowel ( colon, rectum), stomach, breasts or lungs. 

Symptoms