Liver cancer

The silent killer diseases are those diseases that show the symptoms when it is already too late for them to be treated successfully so the patients die when they detect it in the progressed stages. The liver cancer is among these diseases, and it is curable only when discovered in the beginning, although it is very difficult and the doctor usually discovers it when ordering the tests for some other health conditions. On the other side, when the liver cancer is discovered in the advanced phases, the patients have only a year to live.

Types of liver cancer

Hepatoma and cholangio carcinoma are the two forms of the liver cancer. When hepatocytes, which are the liver cells, overgrow abnormally, hepatoma occurs. This cancer is also known under the names hepatocellular carcinoma and malignant carcinoma. Those people who suffer from hepatitis B are most prone to develop this type of the liver cancer, which is usually primary liver cancer. On the other side, cholangio carcinoma occurs when the cells of the bile ducts start to overgrow. In most cases, this type of the liver cancer occurs when the liver is infested by the parasite called Clonorchis. When the cancer appears in the bile ducts, it spreads to the liver.

Causes of liver cancer

As we have already explained, hepatoma is the primary liver cancer but the cause why the cells start to multiply themselves abnormally is not yet known. On the other hand, the cancer that originates from some other part or organ of the body and then expands to the liver is what happens in the majority of cases. Therefore, metastatic liver cancer appears most of the times and it is more common than the hepatoma. Other liver diseases like cirrhosis, as well as consumption of alcohol and smoking are some of the factors that contribute to the development of the liver cancer.

Symptoms of liver cancer

The liver cancer hardly shows any signs in the beginning of its development and that is the reason why it is hard to be detected, but gradually, as it progresses, the symptoms start to emerge. Since the cancer induces stress on the surrounding cells, the pain in the right upper abdominal area is likely to appear. Furthermore, the feeling of stomach fullness even when the person eats only small amounts of food, breast enlargement in the males, intestinal bleeding and bruises in internal organs which are close to the tumor are also the symptoms of the liver cancer.