General Overview of Liver Cancer

Liver cancer is cancer that begins in the liver and is often caused by an abnormal growth of cells called tumors. The more common type of liver cancer is when cancer spreads into the liver from other parts of the body. There is a strong link between liver cancer and chronic hepatitis B. Males are more likely to be affected by liver cancer than females.

Symptoms of liver cancer include abdominal pain, fever, weakness, anorexia, jaundice and as tumors grow back pain may develop. If your primary care physician suspects liver cancer diagnostic tests such as ct scans, radioisotope scans, MRI and blood tests will be ordered.

Aggressive treatment of liver cancer is important. Surgery can be performed to remove the tumors if the cancer is not spread to other parts of the body. The remaining healthy parts of the liver will take over for full function of the liver. Chemotherapy can also be used to kill the cancer cells and shrink the tumors. In some cases liver transplantation may be necessary. Choice of treatment depends on the number of tumors, the size of the tumors and their location.

Surgery can cure liver cancer once the tumors are removed and that is why it is so important to detect liver cancer in the early stages. The age and general health of the patient is an important factor when deciding on a treatment. If surgery is not an option there are other methods of treatment to control the liver cancer and help the patient to live longer and feel better.

There are some things you can do to reduce your chances of liver cancer. Make sure that you buy food that is safe and clean. When you prepare food always make sure the area is clean before the food comes in contact with it. When eating out check to make sure that the restaurant is well taken care of.

Other important steps to take are to avoid illegal drugs and excessive intake of alcohol. Try to eat small, frequent meals that are well balanced and take vitamins as recommended by your physician. Most of all maintain a healthy lifestyle and discuss any problems with your physician.