Seven types of people should pay special attention to this silent cancer!

Author: Zhang Hongyi, Chief Physician, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University

Vice Chairman of the Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Committee of the Chinese Society of Research Hospitals

Reviewer: Shang Zhanmin, Chief Physician, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital (West Campus), Capital Medical University

According to relevant statistics, there are more than 400,000 new liver cancer patients in my country every year, which is a very large group of people.

Does fatty liver lead to liver cancer? Can liver cancer be detected early? Let's talk about related issues today.

1. Can hepatitis B, fatty liver disease, and alcoholic liver disease cause liver cancer?

Viral hepatitis is a common cause of liver cancer, including hepatitis B and hepatitis C.

This is because liver cells are damaged after long-term inflammatory stimulation, and can be repaired after damage. Repeated necrosis and repair will cause fibrotic scar formation, leading to cirrhosis. On the basis of cirrhosis, the liver may regenerate nodules and then develop into liver cancer.

Of course, fatty liver is also one of the causes of liver cancer.

The liver processes, digests and distributes nutrients absorbed by the intestines, such as protein, fat and carbohydrates. If too much nutrients are taken in, fat will accumulate in the liver, causing fatty liver. On the basis of fatty liver, it may develop into liver cancer.

In addition, we often say that drinking alcohol hurts the liver. Long-term excessive drinking can also cause liver damage and alcoholic liver disease. Alcoholic liver disease gradually develops and liver cancer may also occur.

Figure 1 Original copyright image, no permission to reprint

2. Will eating moldy food cause liver cancer?

Studies have found that aflatoxin is an important cause of liver cancer. It is mainly found in moldy foods, such as moldy peanuts. Eating moldy peanuts can cause liver damage, and long-term intake may lead to liver cancer.

In addition, long-term exposure to chemicals can also cause liver damage. Long-term and persistent liver damage may also lead to liver cancer.

We need to remind everyone that some "tonics", "folk remedies" and "health products" of unknown origin may contain ingredients that are harmful to the body, causing liver damage, leading to drug-induced hepatitis, and may also develop into liver cancer.

Of course, genetic factors are also one of the causes of liver cancer. People with a family history of liver cancer are more likely to get liver cancer than ordinary people. At the same time, the family's eating habits, living environment, etc. may also lead to the family clustering of liver cancer.

Figure 2 Original copyright image, no permission to reprint

3. Are there any early symptoms of liver cancer?

Liver cancer is often called a silent killer. There are no typical symptoms in the early stages, and most early liver cancer patients are discovered through physical examinations. Once symptoms appear, it indicates that liver cancer may have developed to the middle or late stages.

Digestive tract symptoms are one of the main manifestations of advanced liver cancer, such as loss of appetite, abdominal distension, changes in bowel habits, etc. In addition, advanced liver cancer can also cause systemic manifestations such as fatigue and weight loss.

When liver cancer is complicated by jaundice, the patient will also have symptoms such as yellow skin and yellow eyes. When liver cancer is complicated by portal hypertension, symptoms such as ascites and splenomegaly will also appear.

When the spleen becomes enlarged, it will filter out the platelets in the blood, causing a decrease in platelets. When the platelets decrease, it is easy to bleed. Therefore, some liver cancer patients will have spider nevi on their faces.

4. How to detect liver cancer early?

The way to detect liver cancer early is through physical examination, especially for high-risk groups, regular liver cancer screening is recommended.

Who are the high-risk groups for liver cancer? For example, patients and carriers of hepatitis virus infection, alcoholics, obese people, people who work hard for a long time, and people over 45 years old.

Data show that the probability of liver cancer in patients and carriers infected with the hepatitis virus is 10-20 times that of non-infected people, so active screening is necessary.

For example, screening every 3-6 months, such as checking liver function, tumor markers such as alpha-fetoprotein, including liver B-ultrasound, are all routine screening items.

5. What are the treatments for liver cancer?

The preferred treatment for liver cancer is surgical resection, especially for early-stage tumors, such as those confined to one lobe and not located at the important liver hilum. Even if the tumor is larger, it should be removed as much as possible.

Of course, for some patients who are not suitable for surgery, radiofrequency ablation can be performed. Under the guidance of ultrasound, CT, or MRI, a very thin ablation needle is inserted into the lesion site to "burn" the tumor cells to death.

In addition, interventional treatment can be performed, which involves inserting a catheter into the femoral artery, passing through the celiac artery to the hepatic artery, and finding the blood vessels supplying the tumor. Embolism or chemotherapy can then be used to cut off the blood supply to the tumor, thereby inhibiting its growth.

Another way is liver transplantation, which is very curative, but it also requires strict indications to perform liver transplantation. Molecular targeted therapy, traditional Chinese medicine, etc. can all play a good role in the treatment of liver cancer.