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The liver is an organ in the body that filters blood from the rest of the body. If cancer cells exist elsewhere in the body they can find their way to the liver and grow there.
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Some health conditions can increase the risk of someone developing liver cancer. These can include obesity, the presence of diabetes, and smoking.
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Exposure to aflatoxin can result in liver cancer. Aflatoxin is a chemical produced by fungi that can grow on certain vegetables, cereals, and peanuts. This type of aflatoxin exposure risk is greatest in China, South East Asia, and Africa.
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Individuals who drink alcohol on a chronic basis have higher risk of liver cancer because they often develop cirrhosis of the liver.
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The main cause of liver cancer worldwide is infection with hepatitis B or hepatitis C. These infections account for approximately 80% of all liver cancers worldwide.
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Liver tumors can be benign or malignant. Benign liver tumors develop in the fetus, and many never know they have them unless they cause problems. Malignant tumors are cancerous and can multiply.
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Men with chronic liver disease are more likely to develop liver cancer than women with chronic liver disease.
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Individuals with too much iron (hemochromatosis) are at an increased risk of developing liver cancer.
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People that use anabolic steroids for long periods of time increase their risk of developing liver cancer.
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Early symptoms of liver cancer include jaundice, decreased or lost appetite, losing weight, or fluid accumulating in the abdomen.
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Common ways that liver cancer is detected is by use of an ultrasound, blood tests, CT scans, or MRIs. It is often discovered by accident when being tested for something else.
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When primary liver cancers are small they are often curable.
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The larger the tumor in the liver the harder it is to cure.
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Treatment of liver cancer can include radiation, chemotherapy, surgery, and even liver transplants.
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The liver is capable of regenerating if enough healthy liver still exists after removal of the diseased portion.
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Reducing the chances of developing liver cancer includes being vaccinated for hepatitis B (there is no vaccine for hepatitis C yet), avoiding risky behavior that can result in hepatitis C transmission, avoiding drinking too much alcohol, exercising regularly, and consuming a healthy diet.
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Liver cancer is the third leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide after lung cancer and stomach cancer in 2010.
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