This type of cancer is extremely hidden. Once discovered, it is already in the late stage? Be alert if you have these symptoms...

There is a type of cancer that is highly hidden, has a high incidence rate, and a low survival rate. In China, 80% of patients are already in the middle or late stages when they are discovered.

It is liver cancer.

According to the latest national cancer statistics released by the National Cancer Center in January 2019, liver cancer ranks fourth in incidence and second in mortality.

As the saying goes, "The stomach is a trumpet, and the liver is a mute." Liver cancer is difficult to detect and so scary, so early detection and early treatment are the key.

Today I will talk about some common problems of liver cancer.

01

Many liver cancers are already in the middle or late stages when they are discovered?

Liver cancer is highly hidden and its early symptoms are not obvious , so many patients are already in the middle or late stages when they discover it, missing the best treatment window.

First of all, the liver is hidden in the abdominal cavity and protected by bony organs . It is not easy to touch under normal circumstances, and there are nerves only on the surface of the liver. Pain only occurs when the lesion invades the liver capsule.

Therefore, when the tumor has not grown large or is far away from the capsule, and the symptoms are not obvious or there is no discomfort, most people will not go to the hospital for treatment.

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Secondly, for normal people, 30% of the liver is enough to maintain the normal functioning of the human body, and there will be no abnormal liver function.

Therefore, many liver cancer patients are already in the middle or late stages when they develop symptoms such as jaundice and ascites.

02

What are the symptoms of liver cancer?

Pain in the liver area : Pain in the liver area is often persistent distending pain or dull pain, and is one of the common symptoms of late-stage liver cancer.

Hepatomegaly : About 90% of liver cancer patients have progressive enlargement of the liver, accompanied by varying degrees of tenderness.

Jaundice : The appearance of jaundice generally means that the patient has entered the late stage of liver cancer.

Signs of cirrhosis : If liver cancer patients have portal hypertension due to cirrhosis, they may experience ascites and the formation of venous collateral circulation.

Systemic manifestations : Patients with liver cancer often experience symptoms such as fever, fatigue, progressive weight loss, malnutrition, and cachexia.

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Symptoms of metastasis : If metastasis occurs to the lungs, chest cavity, etc., discomfort may occur in the corresponding parts.

03

What are the factors that lead to the high incidence of liver cancer?

The main factors that increase the risk of liver cancer are as follows:

1. Chronic hepatitis

"Chronic hepatitis B and hepatitis C - cirrhosis - liver cancer" - the liver disease trilogy is always threatening people's lives. Hepatitis B and hepatitis C viruses continue to invade and damage the liver. If patients take it lightly, they may develop cirrhosis and even liver cancer.

Countermeasures: Check whether you have hepatitis B or hepatitis C, get the hepatitis B vaccine, and receive regular treatment for hepatitis C.

2. Fatty liver

The liver's storage capacity has a limit. If the fat continues to increase and exceeds the limit, the normal liver tissue will become a warehouse for storing fat, thus turning into fatty liver hepatitis.

A certain proportion of cirrhotic livers will turn into liver cancer under the further influence of some high-risk carcinogenic factors such as chronic hepatitis and alcohol.

Countermeasures: Diet control and exercise.

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3. Alcoholism

Long-term alcohol abuse will continue to damage the liver, causing liver cell degeneration and necrosis, leading to alcoholic liver disease and alcoholic cirrhosis. If you also suffer from chronic hepatitis (hepatitis B, hepatitis C), the damage will be doubled.

Solution: Stop drinking.

4. Long-term consumption of pickled and moldy food

When food becomes moldy, especially moldy peanuts, it will produce a very toxic and strong carcinogen - aflatoxin . It is a highly toxic substance that mainly damages human liver tissue after entering the human body.

As the body's metabolic organ, the liver is responsible for breaking down and transforming toxic substances produced by the body. However, if there are too many toxins for the liver to break down, they will remain in the liver, causing lasting damage to the body.

Countermeasures: Eat less pickled foods such as pickles, avoid moldy foods (moldy peanuts, low-quality peanut oil), and improve water quality.

5. Excessive use of drugs that damage the liver

Some drugs can also cause persistent damage to the liver, resulting in hepatitis-like symptoms and abnormal liver function after taking the drugs, which is called drug-induced hepatitis.

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If you take drugs such as butazone, ibuprofen, aspirin, etc. for a long time or in large quantities, it may cause intrahepatic bile stasis or even liver cell necrosis.

04

How to prevent liver cancer?

1. Proper diet

It is recommended to have a reasonable diet and balanced nutrition for the three meals. Eat less greasy food, do not eat moldy food, eat more vegetables, fruits and foods rich in fiber, which can excrete toxins from the body. Maintain a high-protein (such as lean meat, fish, river shrimp, soy products), high-vitamin, low-sugar, low-fat diet.

Control fat intake, especially animal fat. Avoid alcohol and smoking.

2. Exercise appropriately

It is recommended to exercise for 30 minutes every day. You can choose aerobic exercises such as playing table tennis, badminton, cycling, swimming, etc.

It is very important to stick to regular and continuous exercise . If you do it for three days and rest for two days, not only will the effect be poor, but it will also cause fat accumulation.

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3. Use drugs with caution

Any drug that enters the body must be detoxified by the liver. Be careful of the toxic side effects of the drug to avoid aggravating damage to the liver.

4. Proper selenium supplementation

Appropriate selenium supplementation can make the activity of glutathione peroxidase in the liver reach normal levels, which is beneficial to protecting the liver.

5. Check liver function

Liver imaging tests should be performed during every physical examination to detect fatty liver and liver cancer early. Because the liver has a strong compensatory capacity, abnormal liver function often indicates a more serious disease.

It is especially recommended that people over 40, especially men who drink frequently and are obese, go to a regular hospital for a physical examination once a year to keep cancer at a distance and nip it in the bud.

Author: Luo Xianzhang, PhD, Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Tumors, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital

Review | Zhang Yi, Deputy Director of the Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Tumors, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital

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