There are hundreds of types of cancer, why is liver cancer the "king of cancer"? A brief discussion on liver cancer, please save it!

According to the report of the World Health Organization's International Cancer Research Institute (IARC), the latest data in 2020 show that there are 19.29 million new cancer cases and 9.96 million new cancer deaths worldwide. One point worth emphasizing is that China has 4.57 million new cancer cases and more than 3 million deaths, ranking first in both new cases and deaths. Cancer has been with humans since the beginning of time, and about 8 million people die from cancer each year worldwide. The probability of Chinese residents developing cancer in their lifetime is 22%, and the probability of death from cancer is 13%. On average, there are about 3.12 million new cancer tumor cases and 2.7 million deaths each year. Every minute, 6 people are diagnosed with malignant tumors in the country, and 1 in 7 people will die from cancer.

Liver cancer is one of hundreds of cancers and a relatively common malignant tumor. It is more common in developing countries such as China, Southeast Asia, and southern Africa. According to data from the International Center for Cancer Research (IARC), China has the highest incidence of liver cancer in the world. Due to its large population base, the incidence (mortality) of liver cancer in my country accounts for more than half of all liver cancer cases in the world.

Liver cancer in China is mainly concentrated in some remote areas of my country. Due to factors such as living environment, sanitary conditions and living habits, the relative prevalence is high. Due to the limitations of medical conditions, patients in these areas cannot receive corresponding active diagnosis and treatment. In addition, under the influence of my country's tobacco and alcohol industry and regional genetic factors, more than 50% of liver cancer patients in the world are in China.

Discussion on Liver Cancer in Ancient and Modern Times

First, let's talk about ancient my country's understanding of liver cancer. As early as in the Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine, there were records similar to liver cancer, and it was called fat gas, lumps, and accumulated gas in successive dynasties. For example, the Song Dynasty's Shengji Zonglu said: The accumulated gas in the abdomen, for a long time, is firm and cannot be moved; there is also the "Treatise on the Causes and Symptoms of Various Diseases": The accumulation of spleen is called lumps; and the "Nanjing" records: The accumulation of liver is called fat gas, under the left rib, like a cup, with a head and feet. The accumulation of spleen, called lumps, is in the stomach, the abdomen is as big as a plate, and it has not healed for a long time. The main reason is the deficiency of qi and blood in the internal organs, plus the internal injury of the seven emotions, depression of emotions; spleen deficiency and dampness, phlegm and dampness condensation; the invasion of the six evil toxins, evil condensation and poison, etc. can make qi, blood, dampness, heat, stasis, and poison mutually bind to form liver cancer.

Liver cancer is relatively common in clinical practice. Usually, it refers to the situation where some special reasons, such as drug-induced hepatitis, hepatitis B virus, or idiopathic hepatitis, lead to irreversible changes in the liver and the presence of local tumors. There are two major types: primary and secondary. The former is called primary liver cancer, which is a very harmful malignant tumor; the latter is called sarcoma, which is relatively rare compared with primary liver cancer.

Why is liver cancer called the king of cancer?

Liver cancer is highly malignant, develops rapidly, has a short course, and is prone to recurrence. The survival period of liver cancer patients, which we also call the prognosis of liver cancer, is related to many factors. But in general, the survival period of liver cancer is the least ideal among all tumors. In addition, the symptoms of early liver cancer patients are not prominent, which leads to the fact that many patients with liver cancer have already developed to the middle and late stages of liver cancer when they are diagnosed.

In general, primary liver cancer has the following symptoms: pain in the liver area, abdominal distension, loss of appetite, fatigue, weight loss, progressive enlargement and abdominal mass, etc. However, due to the hidden location of the liver, the early symptoms are not very obvious, and its development speed is much faster than that of patients with general malignant tumors. Advanced cancer is very difficult to treat, and many advanced cancer patients also have spread and metastasis to other parts of the body. After treatment, it is also very easy to relapse and metastasis. Once relapse or metastasis occurs, it will be more difficult to treat again, and it may eventually threaten the patient's life. Therefore, liver cancer deserves the title of the king of cancer.

Treatment and prevention of liver cancer

Treatment principles for liver cancer: comprehensive treatments such as chemotherapy, interventional therapy, surgery, and liver transplantation. Surgery is the first choice for treating liver cancer. You can also do liver transplantation from donors, targeted drug therapy, Chinese medicine conditioning therapy, biological therapy, and interventional chemotherapy, etc. Surgical methods include radical liver resection and palliative liver resection. For liver cancer that cannot be removed, depending on the specific situation, intraoperative hepatic artery ligation, hepatic artery chemoembolization, radiofrequency, freezing, laser, microwave, etc. have certain effects.

However, most of the liver cancers that can be cured are found in the early or middle stages. Many patients are already in the late stages when they find liver cancer, so the focus of the disease is not on treatment, but on prevention. There are many causes of liver cancer, and the most important one is bad living habits. Quit smoking and drinking, eat a healthy diet, avoid staying up late, have a regular work and rest schedule, and maintain a good mood, so as to reduce the chances of liver cancer coming to you!

Finally, I hope everyone will not overdraw their bodies, cherish their bodies, stay away from various diseases, have a healthy body, and have a happy life.

I’m Dr. Bobo. If you have any health-related questions, you can follow me and send me private messages for consultation. Thank you!