Liver cancer is contagious, so we should stay away from people with liver cancer?

Popular rumor: Liver cancer is contagious, so we should stay away from liver cancer patients?

Fake rumors

Verification points:

Hepatitis virus is indeed contagious, but it does not mean liver cancer is contagious. Liver cancer itself is not contagious. If you come into contact with a liver cancer patient, whether you eat together, live together, hug and kiss together, you will not get liver cancer. Even if the hepatitis virus is contagious, you will not necessarily get liver cancer if you are infected with the hepatitis virus. Infection with the hepatitis virus only increases the risk of liver cancer. Whether you will eventually get liver cancer is also affected by other factors. People who are not infected with the hepatitis virus do not mean that they will not get liver cancer. Cancer is the result of the combined action of multiple factors.

1. What is liver cancer? What is liver cancer?

Many people may think, is this question even necessary? Of course, it refers to cancer that occurs in the liver. No! Cancer (malignant tumor) that occurs in the liver is not necessarily liver cancer. It may be a sarcoma, a lymphoma, or it may be metastatic to the liver from other malignant tumors. Therefore, we must first clarify a basic concept here. The liver cancer we usually refer to is not a malignant tumor that originates from mesenchymal tissue, such as a sarcoma or lymphoma, nor is it a secondary liver cancer (metastatic liver cancer, metastatic to the liver from other cancers), but a malignant tumor that originates from the epithelium of the liver, that is, primary liver cancer, including hepatocellular carcinoma, intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, and hepatocellular carcinoma-intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma mixed type, etc. They are different in many aspects, of which more than 90% are hepatocellular carcinoma. Generally, the liver cancer we refer to is hepatocellular carcinoma, or liver cancer for short.

2. Can liver cancer be prevented?

At present, the exact cause of cancer (including liver cancer) has not been fully understood, so it is not possible to prevent cancer from happening fundamentally. However, through research, people have discovered some risk factors related to the onset of cancer. According to these factors, measures can be taken to avoid or reduce some risks.

The main risk factors for liver cancer include:

1. Hepatitis virus infection. Studies have shown that hepatitis virus (mainly including hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus) infection is the main risk factor for liver cancer, among which hepatitis B virus infection is the most common. Liver cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors. China is a country with a high incidence of liver cancer, accounting for more than half of the world's cases. One of the important reasons for this is that China has a high rate of hepatitis B virus infection. China is a country with a high incidence of hepatitis B. Many liver cancers in China develop on the basis of hepatitis B and cirrhosis.

2. Drinking. Long-term drinking, especially alcoholism, is prone to alcoholic hepatitis and alcoholic cirrhosis, which increases the risk of liver cancer. If people infected with hepatitis B virus drink alcohol, they are more likely to develop liver cancer.

3. Certain diets and lifestyle habits may also increase the risk of liver cancer, such as long-term consumption of foods containing nitrosamines, moldy foods, and unclean drinking water.

4. The occurrence of liver cancer in some areas may also be related to certain parasitic infections.

5. Genetic factors.

3. How to prevent liver cancer?

1. Prevent hepatitis virus infection by cutting off the transmission route (such as avoiding unnecessary blood transfusions, avoiding unclean injections, etc.) and injecting hepatitis B vaccine. Those who have been infected with hepatitis B virus should monitor the virus situation, and those who have indications should receive anti-hepatitis virus treatment. Preventing and controlling hepatitis virus infection is one of the most important measures to prevent liver cancer.

2. Quit drinking, or at least limit alcohol consumption, avoid long-term drinking, especially long-term alcoholism. People with hepatitis B should especially not drink alcohol.

3. Avoid eating spoiled, expired, or moldy food. Keep ingredients as fresh as possible, pay attention to shelf life, and pay attention to food storage conditions to prevent mold. Avoid drinking unclean water. There are problems with water sources in some areas, and local governments need to solve the problem at the source.

4. Liver cancer related to parasite infection is becoming less and less common now, but it may still exist in a few areas with poor sanitary conditions. This mainly depends on the local health and epidemic prevention departments. However, as an individual, you should understand the prevalence of local parasites and take targeted measures, such as paying attention to food and water hygiene, avoiding parasite infection, and taking timely deworming treatment.

5. People with a family history of liver cancer or related cancers should be more careful to avoid exposure or contact with the above risk factors, and should also pay attention to liver cancer screening.

6. High-risk groups should take the initiative to undergo liver cancer screening. It is recommended that people at high risk of liver cancer (such as those infected with hepatitis virus and those with a family history of liver cancer) undergo liver ultrasound examination and serum alpha-fetoprotein testing every 6 months after the age of 40.

4. Is liver cancer contagious?

Is cancer contagious? This is a question that many people are concerned about. Some people say that isn't liver cancer mainly related to hepatitis virus infection? And the hepatitis virus is contagious, so liver cancer is contagious. These are actually two different things. The hepatitis virus is indeed contagious, but that does not mean liver cancer is contagious. Liver cancer itself is not contagious. If you come into contact with a liver cancer patient, whether it is eating together, living together, hugging and kissing, you will not be infected with liver cancer. Even if the hepatitis virus is contagious, you will not necessarily get liver cancer if you are infected with the hepatitis virus. Being infected with the hepatitis virus just increases the risk of liver cancer. Whether or not you will eventually get liver cancer is also affected by other factors. People who are not infected with the hepatitis virus do not mean they will not get liver cancer. Cancer is the result of the combined action of multiple factors.