Liver Cancer – An Overview

Also known as hepatic cancer, liver cancer is a disease involving inflammation of the liver which takes place when healthy cells in the liver start showing some unusual features and become abnormal. The cancer cells harm the adjoining cell and they tend to spread to other healthy areas of the body. Cancerous cells are also known as malignant cells or hepatocellular carcinoma. Be aware that all cancers affecting the liver may not be liver cancer. Check out for the symptoms of Liver Cancer mentioned below and if you find any then rush to the doctor. Also, do not take extra stress as this disease is curable if you are well informed about the symptoms and take proper treatment on time.

Liver Cancer Facts

• In most cases, liver cancer happens to be a chronic disease – chronic liver disease.
• The number of people affected with liver cancer is rapidly growing because of cirrhosis caused by chronic hepatitis C fatty liver disease (non-alcoholic).
• Many types of treatment for liver cancer are available. The treatment prescribed is according to the extent to which stage cancer has spread and the overall condition of the liver as well as the health of the patient.
• The physician specializing in the treatment of liver cancer is known as an oncologist, one who is certified in oncology.

Liver Cancer Symptoms

Liver cancer itself does not have any symptoms. As the size of cancer becomes larger, you would feel pain on the right side of the belly or you feel full even when you eat a little. The liver cancer symptoms in female are also similar to the male. So, read all the symptoms carefully-.

The patient feels there is weight loss that cannot be accounted for, fall in appetite, nausea, feeling of enlarged liver, feeling of enlarged spleen (you feel a mass under the ribs on the left side), pain in the belly or near the right shoulder blade, increased inflammation in the feel, fluids may build up in the bell, legs are swollen and there is yellowing of the eyes.

Major Symptoms

• Weight loss – This symptom is found in around 40% of the cancer patients though you’re consuming food normally. Stress level also increases which is an indication of some upcoming problem. The loss of weight can be attributed to falling in appetite, which is one of the early stage symptoms of this disease.
• A bigger liver – The liver becomes enlarged; normally it’s a big organ in the body, therefore, any minor changes in it can be felt. Swelling on the right side below the lower ribs may be indicated due to the enlarged liver. However, there are many conditions that may lead the liver to become bigger than normal.
• Pain on the right side – Pain in the right side is one the important symptoms of liver cancer in the early stage. However, with the passage of time the tumor grows that will make you feel some pressure and pain in the area of the abdomen on the right side. Some patients may also feel the pain on the right shoulder because the liver presses on the nerves beneath the diaphragm linking the shoulder. The pain may be persistent or comes and goes.
• Nausea – Nausea is yet another among liver cancer symptoms in male as well as in female. This is because, as the liver ceases to work normally, it doesn’t filter the toxic byproduct or meta-blocks and such toxic products accumulation leads to sickness and nausea. With progress in time, nausea becomes more severe leading to vomiting and loss of appetite. In some cases, the liver may produce hormones leading to high blood calcium, which may also lead to nausea.
• Swelling – Liver cancer likely cause changes in the blood and lymph capillaries leaking to fluid accumulation resulting in swelling. The accumulation of fluids leads to spread of the cancer cells to the abdominal lining, the cell may put pressure in the veins that drain the liver. They may even block the lymph canals. You should see the doctor immediately to drain the fluid.
• Itching – Among liver cancer symptoms itching is experienced all over the body. Even experts are unsure of why it happens, it could be attributed to the toxins released by the tumor. Itching may be because of bile accumulating in the body and subsides with treatment.
• Yellowing eyes and skin – As the cancer cell obstruct the bile canals, the bile from the liver flows back to the bloodstream instead of the small intestine, which leads the skin and the white color of the eyes to turn into pale yellow. The condition is otherwise known as jaundice may lead to severe itching, dark-colored urine, and light colored feces.
• Appetite loss – You are less inclined to eat food and of course, even a minor amount of stress can lead to loss of appetite. However, the continuous loss of appetite can indicate a problem with the metabolism and the organs adjoining the stomach. In liver cancer, as the liver is bigger than the normal size, it exerts press on the stomach, which leads to a feeling of being full.
• Fatigue and weakness – Similar to the cases of other types of cancer, weakness, and fatigue are often the main signs. Fatigue involves more than being tired – when you get up, you feel restless as if you have worked hard for the whole day. You may feel the fatigue mentally as well as physically.

The most commonly found liver cancer is the hepatocellular carcinoma. Liver cancer could be in metastatic implying cancer spreading to the liver through the bloodstream. Unfortunately, a few people with metastatic cancer do not have symptoms. Thus, cancer cells from the colon could spread to the liver and could exhibit colon cancer liver metastases symptoms.

If you notice one or more symptoms of liver cancer, you should contact the doctor as soon as possible as early diagnosis of this disease can help palliate it.

Liver Cancer Prognosis & Risk Factors

The causes of liver cancer include cirrhosis, chronic infection (HBV or HCV), diabetes, exposure to aflatoxins, and inherited liver diseases. Prognosis for liver cancer would be based on many factors including the size of the liver cancer, the presence of the spread of cancer beyond the liver, the number of the lesions, the health of the adjoining tissues and the overall health of the individual. Life expectancy would depend on several factors making cancer curable or not.

• The overall survival rate for all stages of liver cancer is found to be 15% – so low because in many cases, along with liver cancer the individual may have other medical conditions such as cirrhosis.
• However, if the cancer is localized – just limited to the liver, the five-year survival chance jumps to 28%, if the liver cancer has spread to other organs close to it, the corresponding survival rate is 7%. When the liver cancer migrated to distant organs/tissues, the survival time drops to as low as two years.
• Survival rate also depends on the effect of the treatment available. Liver cancers surgically removed are likely to show a higher five-year survival rate more than 50%. And, if diagnosed at the earliest and the liver transplanted the corresponding rate is 70%.
• The principal cause of death from liver cancer is liver failure, advanced cancer or bleeding.

Liver Cancer – Diagnosis and Stages

Once the patient is diagnosed with liver cancer, the physician will try to check it out whether cancer has proliferated to other organs, if it’s to what extent? This process of identification is known as staging. The stage of cancer implies to what extent the cancer is present in the body. Staging let us know how serious the liver cancer is and what best possible treatment can be carried out. Staging also used to predict survival rates.

Liver cancer varies from stage 1 to stage 4 (Roman numerals are sued) or letters from A to D are used. As the numbers indicate – the lower number implies the cancer is less spread while a higher number like 4 means cancer has spread to more organs/tissues. Likewise, D indicates the advanced stage with the worst prognosis. Each individual’s cancer condition is unique, however, when it comes to staging, cancer has similar stages which bring similar consequences and are treated in the same way.

To Read About Liver Cancer Stages in detail follow the link.

Diagnosis of each stage

• Tests and procedures performed in diagnosing liver cancer include blood tests to check the functionality of the liver.
• Imaging tests are performed (ultrasound, CT scanning or MRI scanning)
• Testing a sample liver tissue: a piece of tissue from the liver is removed for laboratory test and to bring out the diagnosis of liver cancer.

Once liver cancer is diagnosed, the next task for the physician in determining the stage of cancer. Staging tests reveal the extent of cancer and whether it has migrated elsewhere or not For this, imaging such as CTs, MRIs, and bone scans are important.

Can Liver Cancer Be Palliated?

Liver cancer is very hard to palliate. This is because it cannot be diagnosed in an early state. Despite all this, even liver cancer can be palliated and for this, follow-up treatment is important. Treatment of secondary or metastatic liver cancer is difficult because it’s already spread to other organs. In this stage, the liver’s bile and blood vessels’ network makes surgery hard.

Thus, the treatments available for Liver Cancer include surgery, liver transplant, ablation therapy, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, applying targeted agent and immunotherapy. Let us discuss them.

• Surgery: In surgery, part of the liver with cancer is removed. Surgery is useful when the size of the cancer area is small.
• Transplant of the liver: In this procedure, the cancerous liver is replaced with a healthy one from a healthy person. This is done in very rare cases where surgery could not be done.
• Ablation therapy: This procedure involves destroying cancer cells in the liver without the need of surgery. Heat, laser, or a special alcohol or acid injected into cancer may bring the result.
• Radiation therapy: High-energy rays are directed to kill the cancer cells.

However, there are risks of complication such as fatigue, vomiting, and nausea.

• Immunotherapy: Immunotherapy is a safe and popular method of treating liver cancer and other types of cancer through which the immune system of the body is enhanced and strengthened in a natural way. Having no side effects like other cancer treatment methods, this method is becoming very popular all over the world.

Preventions 

Though the symptoms of this disease come into the picture at a later stage it is always advised to take precautions beforehand. Here we are mentioning some of the precautionary measures for you to avoid liver cancer and also to reduce the risk of the same.

• Reduce Alcohol – Drinking alcohol is never appreciated as it will definitely result in some or other disease. Decide a limit while drinking and this suggestion is for both men and women.
• Weight – Check your weight every time and work on maintaining a standard weight as per your age and height. Both being over or underweight is a threat for your body.
• Balanced Diet – Always plan your meals in a healthy manner. Do not eat fast or junk food every now and then. Add fruits and green vegetables in your menu.
• Use of chemicals – Take a close check on all the chemicals that you are using at your home either for cleaning or washing purposes.
• Vaccination – Some important vaccinations that you are required to take are Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C. These vaccinations will reduce the risks of contamination.
• Protected Sex – Even if you are sure that your partner is not affected by any STD’s, do not get involved in unprotected sex.
• Cleanliness – Keep your body and surrounding clean. If you are getting in contact with any injections, make sure it is a new one. Keep your surroundings clean.
• Consult your doctor – Visit your doctor and discuss the symptoms and details plus never ignore any minor change in your body as well.

Liver cancer can be palliated best when diagnosed at an early stage. Hence, from today onwards take a note of the changes inside your body and in addition to that adopt a healthy living in order to avoid end-stage liver cancer symptoms and signs.

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Introduction – How Alcohol is Injurious to Health?

Drinking alcohol simply means you are putting yourself at risk! Drinking alcohol is injurious to health when you consume it in huge quantities. Moreover, the bad effects or the dangerous effects of alcohol ingestion mainly count with your age, your servings, as well as on other several factors. There is no contradicting that too much alcohol is injurious to health, which will show the way to grave health problems. Excess intake of alcohol can boost your risk of a variety of disorders. Moreover, drinking alcohol excessively and frequently will build up the calories, which can show the way to obesity and a higher jeopardy for weight-related diabetes.

Some Statistics That Show Alcohol Leads to Death

It is estimated that more than 60% of deadly burn wounds, homicides, and drownings are due to the consumption of a surplus amount of alcohol. It is also found that 50% of harsh trauma wounds and sexual physical attacks, as well as 40% of the lethal motor vehicle deaths and serious falls,  are happening because of alcohol intake.

Side Effects of Alcohol

Drinking a moderate amount of alcohol is good for health, but when it goes above the specified limit, it may cause a range of side effects in the body of the drinkers. It can even lead to death, as the body of the drinkers will go to the dehydrated condition. This means that the body will not have enough amount of water to function properly, which, in turn, will result in cardiac arrest as well as other heart-associated diseases, such as stroke. However, going through some alcohol is injurious to health quotes online will aid people to restrict their intake of alcohol in a considerable way.

In fact, the very effect of alcohol starts on your body as soon as you take the first sip.  Although taking a glass of wine occasionally with dinner does not create any health problems, the increasing frequency of drinking beer, wine, or spirits can create serious health troubles. Some of the other harmful effects of drinking too much alcohol include:

Health Issues

Drinking is injurious to health because when you drink alcohol heavily, you will be more susceptible to suffer from heart disease, liver disease, sleep disorders, stroke, depression, blood loss from your stomach, sexually transmitted diseases from insecure sex, and all types of cancer. You will also have the risk of suffering from a variety of other health issues, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and other serious syndromes.

Birth Imperfections

Liquor drinking is injurious for health, not only for the mother but also for the baby! Women drinking alcohol during their pregnancy can result in brain damage and will create other grave health issues for the health of her baby. Although, it is not yet identified whether any quantity of alcohol is harmless for a developing newborn. But, if you are pregnant or turning out to be pregnant, it is safe for you and your baby to stay away from drinking alcohol.

Alcohol Use Muddles

An alcohol use muddle or disorder is a medical chaos that physicians can detect when the alcohol drinking of a patient causes harm or distress.

Damages to The Digestive and Endocrine Glands

Drinking alcohol excessively can cause the unusual creation of digestive enzymes manufactured by the pancreas. When these enzymes are accumulated in your body, it can show the way to inflammation called pancreatitis, which can cause serious health problems.

Seditious Harm

The liver plays a vital part in breaking down and removing injurious substances, including alcohol from your body. When you use alcohol for a longer period, it will affect the function of the liver. It may make you suffer from chronic liver irritation and liver infection, as well. This is a serious disease called cirrhosis, which will form a scar in the liver tissue and it will destroy your entire liver. In due course, the liver will become incapable to eliminate toxins from your body.

Dependence

Alcohol addiction is the major reason why many consider drinking alcohol injurious to health. Alcohol makes you dependent on it in every possible way. Whether it is the time of celebration or any moment of sadness, the addicted person always rushes to get alcohol for accompanying it with the moments. Without the involvement of alcohol, the addicted person feels a sort of incompleteness. When you become an addict to alcohol, it may develop an emotional dependency as well. Also, the repeated heavy drinking starts interfering in your personal relationship too and you as a dependent on alcohol, start feeling the bitterness in the relationship. Slowly, it becomes very difficult for you to overcome the addiction. You will often need expert help to break the addiction. Liquor drinking is injurious for health and also for your loved ones!

WARNING!! Alcohol Can Lead to Cancer

One of the worst effects of drinking too much alcohol is that it can cause cancer. It does not matter that whether you spread your drink on a couple of days or you drink it every day, the fact is that alcohol consumption leads to cancer. Also, there is no difference in negative effects of all types of alcohols as all varieties of alcohol are equally harmful to health. Drinking alcohol can simply cause various types of cancer including liver cancer, mouth cancer, pharyngeal cancer, oesophageal cancer, bowel cancer and laryngeal cancer.

Read Our Blog on Alcohol and Cancer for More Information.

Effective Ways to Quit Drinking

One of the DIY ways to quit drinking is by seeing some alcohol drinking is injurious to health images online, so that you can understand its harmful effects. If you would like to quit drinking, first, it is necessary to know the risk of being an alcohol dependent. Then, you should have a detailed discussion with your family doctor or a reliable healthcare expert to know the ways to come out of the habit as quickly as possible. There are many alcohol support services, as well, from where you can look for the advice. Moreover, quitting your drinking is not easy, particularly if you are a serious drunkard.

Some of the other ways of coming out from the alcohol addiction include:

• Know your intention of quitting your drinking habit.
• Avoid giving room for temptation.
• Make your drinking process as gradual as possible. This means that you can reduce your per day alcohol intake slowly, rather than avoiding it completely all of a sudden.
• Reward yourself for the improvement.
• Take pleasure in the benefits of leading a healthy lifestyle.
• You can view an alcohol is injurious to health PPT online, as well.

Immunotherapy works immensely, as well, as a long-acting treatment to bring you out of your alcohol addiction successfully, naturally, and safely. The treatment can be administered either as active vaccines or as passive monoclonal antibodies.

Conclusion

More study remains to be carried out on the relative benefits and risks of drinking alcohol but still alcohol drinking is injurious to health and will be forever. Usually, smoking and drinking is injurious to the health for any individual. However, the main thing is that to get any sort of health benefits from drinking alcohol or reducing its harmful effects, you are supposed to drink it responsibly. This means that you are supposed to drink only 1 to 2 serving sessions per day with the moderate amount of alcohol. You can drink it during your mealtime and consider it an overall healthy meal. However, you should also make sure that you are not going beyond your calorie requirements.

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How Have Lung Cancer Stages been determined by Doctor?

The doctors use different staging systems to determine the size and position of liver cancer and how well the liver is working. The TNM (Tumor, node, metastasis) system, number staging system determines the size and position of the liver cancer. The doctors use BCLC (Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer) staging system and the Child-Pugh System to decide the treatment by figuring out the wellness of the liver. As a rule, the lower the liver cancer stage number, the less cancer has spread and the higher the stage of Liver cancer, more the patient is into the incurable state.

The TNM System:

• ‘T’ Stands for Tumor: The doctors check the extent to which cancer has grown, the number of tumors, and to which extent it has spread.
• ‘N’ Stands for Nodes: They check if cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes.
• Metastasis:  The doctors also check whether cancer has spread to distant organs such as the bones/lungs or not.

The Numbering System of Stages of Liver Cancer:

The numbering system divides liver cancer into numbered stages such as stage 1, stage 2, stage 3.

The BCLS Staging System and the Child-Pugh Score:

The BCLS staging system measures the performance status of the liver.  It also looks at the number and size of tumors in the liver. There are 5 stages determined by this system (The Child-Pugh score is used):

1. Stage 0 determines that the tumor is less than 2 cm and the person is well and good. It shows that the liver is functioning normally. Child-Pugh score A is tagged to this stage which means the liver is normal.
2. Stage A determines that the tumor is less than 5 cm or there are up to 3 tumors measuring less than 3 cm. In this stage, the person is fine and the liver works properly and is tagged with a Child-Pugh class A or B.
3. Stage B determines there are many tumors, but the person still feels well, and the liver is working fine. (Child-Pugh class A or B is associated with this stage as well).
4. Stage C determines that cancer has spread to blood vessels, lymph nodes or other organs of the body. The person does not feel very well in this stage, but the liver still works well enough to the expected level.
5. Stage D determines that the liver is damaged seriously, and the person is not well and needs to be taken care of. The child Pugh class C is associated with this stage.

Details Related to the Child-Pugh Score:

The Child-Pugh score determines the class in which people fall:

•       Class A– Liver is working fine.
•       Class B– The liver is moderately ill and may require surgery.
•       Class C– The liver is extremely ill, and the outlook is then quite poor. People falling into this class are too sick to be cured.

What does the Child-Pugh system look at, to tell how well the liver is working?

The Child-Pugh system looks at the following things to determine the wellness of the liver:

• Bilirubin levels in the blood
• Albumin levels in the blood
• Prothrombin time (the quickness in blood clotting)
• Whether the fluid is collected in the abdomen or not.
• Brain functionality

The staging systems we have mentioned have not been compared with each other. In different countries, doctors use different staging systems, and some are used more than others. And there is no single staging system that is used by all doctors. You can always ask your doctor about the staging system he/she uses to determine the liver cancer stage.

The Treatments Used:

The treatment depends on the stage of the liver cancer and the following things:

• The type of cells in which cancer has begun.
• The area in which the cancer is.
• And your health condition.

Mostly stages of liver cancer is treated with surgeries that include either transplant or removal of part of the liver. The surgery is done only when the cancer is confined to the liver area and has not spread. Other treatments include radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

There is another Liver cancer treatment which is popular in homeopathic treatments called immunotherapy. While chemotherapy can be painful, immunotherapy is not. It is a good choice and its popularity is increasing as it uses your immunity to fight the disease. Immunotherapy takes time to make you overcome the disease but with time you will get better results.

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Overview of Lung Cancer

Smokers, especially the ones who puff out 30 packs of cigarettes in a year have a high chance of catching the disease. So, what is this lung cancer anyway? Basically, it all starts at the cellular level. Lung cancer starts to develop in the cells of the lungs. They grow in numbers and destroy nearby tissues and keep on doing that until the final stage arrives where the treatment is almost impossible. The worst thing that can happen is it can also spread to other parts of the body.

Risk Factors for Lung Cancer in Males

The risk factor is something that increases the chances of developing cancer. Most cancers are the result of many risk factors that work in combination to destroy your normal cells. For lung cancer, one is smoking. The risk of lung cancer also increases with the age. If you have been a chain smoker for years and are still in your 40s or 50s, it’s a great thing, lucky you! But studies show that majority of lung cancer shows its actual color among people ages 60 years or older (might vary according to regions, environment, climatic conditions, food habits, work out habits, and many things).

Risk factors that are known to add up to lung cancer:

1.    Smoking
2.    Passive Smoking
3.    Radon
4.    Pollutants from vehicles, factories
5.    Exposure to certain chemicals, if you are a chemical worker
6.    Arsenic in Drinking Water
7.    Asbestos (Workers working in Asbestos mines have high chances

Important Facts About Lung Cancer in Men

• Lung cancer is one of the major causes of death in men due to cancers.
• The lifetime risk of developing lung cancer in men is 1 in every 13 men.
• 90% of lung cancer cases in men are related to smoking.
• Broadly, there are two types of lung cancer- small cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer. The small cell lung cancer type is most common in men.
• The chances of lung cancer survival in men are less in comparison to that of women.

Lung Cancer Symptoms in Men

The lung cancer symptoms in men vary from one person to another. One may experience severe affects whereas other may not. So, if any men face any of the below mentioned lung cancer symptoms, go for an immediate check-up.

#1 Chest Pain

For a sigh of relief for those who are having chest pain currently, it is not necessary that it is a symptom of lung cancer in men. It can be due to excessive coughing or maybe the cold has a firm hold on the lungs. But if it has been there for a long time then probably there is something to worry about regardless of being a smoker or a nonsmoker.

Follow the given link for early stage signs and symptoms of lung cancer

#2 Short Breaths

There can be several reasons for shortness of breath. One is an accumulation of fluids between the lungs and the chest wall. The invasion of cancer into lymphatics and venous structures is responsible for allowing fluids to leave your chest. A blockage, in those areas, prevents the fluids to drain. This causes breath shortness and you feel like you are not getting enough air into the lungs, because of the fluid that won’t allow the lungs to expand. Short breaths are a possible cause of lung cancer in men and must be diagnosed as soon as possible

#3 Coughing up Blood

This is a dangerous symptom of blood cancer in men and should be diagnosed immediately. Blood coughing can also be a symptom of TB but that too is a serious disease if not taken care of at the right time.

#4 Frequent Lung Infections

If infections like pneumonia and bronchitis are recurring every 6 months, then that too is a red sign of liver cancer symptom in men.

What to do if you feel there is some problem in your lungs?

You should immediately visit your doctor and get a CT scan of your lungs done as soon as possible.

Treatments of Lung Cancer in Men

There are several Lung Cancer Treatments depending on the condition of the patient. Treatments include surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation therapy. Among these, immunotherapy is being considered by many patients. Immunotherapy empowers an individual’s own immune system to fight cancer and is a complete change in the patient’s treatment experience.

Chances of getting lung cancer are higher in men than in women. The only way to prevent lung cancer is to quit smoking as early as possible. Other factors are not in our control, but this is!        

For a detailed article on symptoms and signs of lung cancer follow the link.                                                                                           

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Today we’ll discuss the causes of Liver cancer, but before that lets first find out what actually is liver cancer? Cancer essentially means the uncontrollable division and multiplication of cells which impair the proper functioning of the human body. What makes thing worse is that these cells rapidly spread through the body since the body is made up of innumerable tissues and cells are the building blocks of tissues. It is important to note that only those cancers that start or originate in the liver can be termed as liver cancer. Functions of the liver include the production of bile to break-down fats, absorb nutrients and allow the body to clear toxins like alcohol or drugs.

There are several different types of tumors that may originate in the liver. These may namely be:

• Benign liver tumors: The tumor does not spread and the patient can be treated surgically.
• Hemangioma: The blood vessels are affected and surgery is useful.
• Hepatic adenoma: There may be symptoms such as pain or heaviness in the abdomen area. Since there is a risk of rupture leading to excess blood loss, doctors advise a surgery for the removal of the tumor.
• Focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH): A surgery is recommended.

Please note that hepatic adenoma and FNH are more common in women.

Possible Causes of The Liver Cancer

The exact cause of liver cancer is still not known.

Though some major factors associated with the causes of Liver Cancer, which are

• Birth defects
• Alcohol abuse
• Chronic infections with diseases such as hepatitis B and C
• Obesity
• Fatty liver disease
• Hemochromatosis (this is a genetic disease in which there is excess iron in the liver)
• Cirrhosis (the scar tissues replace healthy tissues of the liver due to excess consumption of alcohol)
• Smoking
• Use of steroids
• Weak immune system
• Persons suffering from diabetes plus if they consume excessive amounts of alcohol are at a severe risk of liver cancer.
• However, most patients associated with the disease are found to be having scarring of the liver, also known as cirrhosis.
• The American Cancer Society has stated hepatitis C to be the major reason behind the occurrence of liver cancer. Patients with both hepatitis B or C are at a higher risk of developing liver cancer than other healthy people, as both forms of the hepatitis cause cirrhosis.
• Few inherited liver diseases, like hemochromatosis, result in cirrhosis also.
• Type 2 diabetes: Patients of this diabetes along with hepatitis, when consuming excessive alcohol, are more likely to easily develop liver cancer.
• Family history: If a person’s mother, father, or any sibling has had a history of liver cancer, then he or she would be at a risk more than the healthy individual to develop cancer.
• Heavy alcohol use: Consumption of excessive alcohol regularly leads to cirrhosis in the liver.
• Low immunity: Patients with weakened immunity, like those with HIV/AIDS have a higher risk of developing liver cancer which is five times more than other healthy ones.
• Obesity: Being a person with obesity increases chances of developing many cancers, along with liver cancer.
• Gender: Males get a higher percentage liver cancer in comparison to females. But this is mostly due to lifestyle characteristics rather than gender-based.
• Smoking: People with hepatitis B or C if smoke more than they are at a higher risk of liver cancer.
• Arsenic: People dependent on water wells for water consumption that contains naturally-occurring toxin arsenic will eventually have a higher risk of developing liver cancer.

Thus, all these people under the radar of higher risk should be screened properly for any cancer be it liver cancer. This includes people suffering from hepatitis B or C, alcohol-related cirrhosis, and those with hemochromatosis.

Major Symptoms of Liver Cancer

Before reading the symptoms of liver cancer, it is very important to understand that these are tentative symptoms that are common. Thus, it is always recommended to visit a certified doctor and undergo the necessary tests before jumping to a conclusion and causing panic.

• There is rapid weight loss
• There is a loss of the will to eat (this includes favorite dishes)
• There is a constant feeling of nausea, even when empty stomach
• Enlarged liver. There is the feeling of heaviness or an extra lump under the left side of the ribs
• Enlarged spleen. Similar to an enlarged liver, this also feels like an added mass beneath the left side of the ribs
• There is a pain in the abdominal area. This may also occur near the right shoulder blade
• There may be a swelling or easy fluid build-up in the abdomen
• Constant itching beyond relief
• Jaundice leading to yellow eyes and skin
• Fever
• Enlarged and visible belly veins
• Bleeding
• Bruising

Prevention of Liver Cancer Causes

Here we are sharing some prevention tips from the Liver Cancer causes –

•    Daily exercise for at least 30 minutes.
•    Vaccines for hepatitis B.
•    Prevention from hepatitis C. (there are no vaccines for this yet)
•    Avoid fatty food
•    Limit the consumption of alcohol. This does mean a total abstaining but ensuring only little amounts are consumed.
•    Ensure that drinking water is free from arsenic.
•    Avoid the consumption of steroids for muscle building.
•    Avoid self-medication and painkillers.
•    Consume only fresh fruits and vegetables

After preventions too if the symptoms persist you must consult a specialist for the Treatment of Liver Cancer

The post Causes of Liver Cancer- Possible Reasons of This Life Threatening Disease appeared first on Candrol Cancer Treatment & Research Center.

What is liver cancer?

Cancer primarily implies the rapid division and multiplication of cells, beyond the control of human, which impairs the proper functioning and sequential working of the body. The number of liver cancer cases in India are starting to accelerate but there is a little worry with this as 80% of the Liver Cancer cases are avoidable. So, pay a visit to the doctor for the best cancer treatment in India as soon as you start to experience the symptoms of Liver Cancer.  

Cells are the building blocks of tissues. These tissues are what make up muscles and organs of the body. Thus, instead of dying out, these cells continue to live on and spread to other parts of the body. It is important to note that only those cancers that start or originate in the liver can be termed as “liver cancer”.

Functions of the liver are:

•    Production of bile to absorb fats.
•    Absorb nutrients from the food and drinks we consume.
•    Allow the body to clear toxins like alcohol or drugs.

Tests for Diagnosis of Liver Cancer:

•    Blood tests: A series of blood tests is the first thing that the doctor recommended even when we went to him for a simple thing as a fever, as kids. Well, similar is the case of liver cancer. The first and most common way of diagnosing liver cancer is by going for the suggested blood tests as soon as possible. The reports of these blood tests do not take too long to come an immediately curative measure can be taken.

•    Imaging tests: The most common imaging test that most of us have undergone at some point of time in our lives is X-ray. However, in the case of diagnosis of liver cancer, ultrasound, computerized tomography (CT) scan, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are suggested. These are absolutely pain-free imaging tests and there is nothing to be worried about or be scared of. You will simply be placed before the scanning machines. It is recommended that you avoid wearing any metallics, accessories, and jewelry while going for the tests.

•   A sample of liver tissue: The doctor will simply remove a small portion of your liver tissue and send it for laboratory examination to determine if you have liver cancer. However, please know beforehand that the liver biopsy has certain associated risks such as bleeding, bruising and infection.

•   Staging tests: This is to know the stage of cancer and how it must be treated.

Symptoms of Liver Cancer:

The following are general symptoms of liver cancer. Please understand that you may have any of these signs or a combination of these. But, that does not mean or denote that you are suffering from liver cancer.

It is very important to first visit a certified doctor and get the recommended tests done. After receiving the reports, should you decide on the treatment and course to take according to your ailment and requirement?

•    Steady loss of weight.
•    Loss of appetite.
•    Feeling of nausea
•    Enlarged liver. (lump under the left side of the ribs)
•    Enlarged spleen. (lump under the left side of the ribs)
•    Pain the abdominal area and right shoulder.
•    Swelling in the abdomen.
•    Itchiness.
•    Jaundice.
•    Recurring fever
•    Enlarged stomach veins which are easy visible through the skin.
•    Bleeding.
•    Easy bruising.

Treatment of Liver Cancer:

It is first very important to diagnose the liver cancer stages and if it has spread to parts of the body other than the liver. Only then can effective treatment measures be undertaken.

• Surgery: This implies removal of the tumor. This option depends on the location of the cancer, the extent to which the liver is able to function smoothly and overall health and well-being of the affected individual. This also include the possibility of a liver transplant where the affected liver is removed and replaced by a donor’s healthy liver. However, this is possible only for those who are at an early stage of liver cancer.
• Localized treatments include heating cancer cells and cooling cancer cells. Alcohol is injected ( preferably ethanol injections) to kill tumour cells. These are being injected either through skin or during an operation. Moreover, injection of chemotherapy drugs into the liver and placement of radiation beads is done in the liver. These tiny spheres filled with radiation destroy cancer cells by continuously emitting radiations on them.
• Radiation therapy: High energy beams such as X-ray and protons are used to destroy the cancer cells.
• Targeted drug therapy: abnormalities within the tumor are targeted.
• Immunotherapy: This is a biological procedure.

Immunotherapy:

It is felt by a large number of cancer affected patients that immunotherapy is one of the best deal ways for treating cancer. Plenty of side effects exist with the cancer treatment but immunotherapy is considered safe and side-effect free.  

Though there is no complete way of getting rid of the deadly disease, immunotherapy is well appreciated and sought by many as it is a biological process.

In immunotherapy, certain medicines are used to make the immune system stronger. Thereby, chances are taken to make the body and its immune system healthy enough to fight against the disease and infections.

By homeopathic immunotherapy, one can build a stronger immune system to fight against this disease.

Candrol, a homeopathic medication by Dr. Rishi works on the lines of immunotherapy and helps palliate cancer to a larger extent. It works on the fourth modality of the system and being a side-effect free treatment without any further side effects have been a boon to many patients.

Hope you find this article useful. You can ask any query in the comment box.

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