Liver cancer is a disease in which liver cells become abnormal, grow out of control, and form a cancerous tumor.
This type of cancer is called primary liver cancer.
Primary liver cancer is also called malignant hepatoma or hepatocellular carcinoma.
Cancer that spreads to the liver from another part of the body (metastatic cancer) is not the same as primary liver cancer.
Scientists estimate that 10 to 20 percent of people infected with hepatitis-B virus will develop cancer of the liver.
Researchers have found that people with certain other liver diseases have a higher-than-average chance of developing primary liver cancer.
Cancer of the liver can lead to loss of appetite, weight loss, fever, fatigue, and weakness.
To make a diagnosis of liver cancer, the doctor takes a medical history, does a careful physical examination, and orders certain tests. The Liver-Cleansing Diet
Certain blood tests are used to see how well the liver is functioning. Blood tests can also be used to check for tumor markers, substances often found in abnormal amounts in patients with liver cancer. The tumor marker alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) can be useful to help diagnose liver cancer. About 50 to 70 percent of people who have primary liver cancer have elevated levels of AFP. However, other cancers such as germ cell cancer and, in some cases, pancreatic and gastric cancer, also cause elevated AFP levels.
X-rays of the chest and abdomen, angiograms (x-rays of blood vessels), CT scans (x-rays put together by computer), and MRI's (images created by using a magnetic field) may all be part of the diagnostic process.
Liver scans using radioactive materials can help identify abnormal areas in the liver.
The presence of liver cancer is confirmed with a biopsy. Tissue from the liver (biopsy specimen) is removed (through a needle or during an operation) and checked under a microscope for the presence of cancer cells. The doctor may also look at the liver with an instrument called a laparoscope,
which is a small tube-shaped instrument with a light on one end. For this procedure, a small cut is made in the abdomen so that the laparoscope can be inserted. The doctor may take a small piece of tissue during the laparoscopy. A pathologist then examines the tissue under the microscope to see if cancer cells are present.
Aflatoxinsa group of chemicals produced by a mold that can contaminate certain foods, such as peanuts, corn, grains, and seeds are carcinogens (cancer-causing agents) for liver cancer.
Primary liver cancer is difficult to detect at an early stage because its first symptoms are usually vague.
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