Liver cancer can be classified in two ways: primary (cancer that
begins in liver tissue) or secondary (cancer that spreads to the liver after
starting in some other location).
What does the liver do?
The liver is one of the most important organs in the body. The
liver is divided into lobes and acts as a filter, cleansing the blood of harmful
substances that are later passed out of the body as waste. The liver also makes
bile, which helps digest fat, makes numerous proteins used by the body for many
things, and stores glycogen (sugar), which provides the body with energy.
What are the risk factors associated with liver cancer?
Some risk factors for liver cancer are:
- Other liver diseases, including hepatitis B or C (viral diseases that
attack the liver) or cirrhosis (a disease that causes scarring)
- A family history of hepatitis or liver cancer (someone in your family
has it)
- Obesity
- Gender (men are more likely to get liver cancer than women are)
What are the symptoms of liver cancer?
Early in the development of liver disease, there may be no
symptoms at all. The following signs occur when the liver swells. Please note:
liver cancer is only one reason that livers can swell.
- A lump below the rib cage on the right side of the abdomen
- Pain near the right shoulder or on the right side of the abdomen
- Jaundice (a disease that causes skin to yellow)
- Unexplained weight loss
- Fatigue
- Nausea
- Loss of appetite
- Dark-colored urine
- Bloating
How is liver cancer diagnosed?
A doctor may suspect liver cancer if lumps or other symptoms are
found during a physical examination. Other tests may be ordered, including:
- Blood tests, including a serum marker test and liver enzymes. The
serum marker test measures the amounts of certain substances linked to
cancer. For liver cancer, cirrhosis, and hepatitis, the substance
alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) may show up in higher levels. Liver enzymes are
often elevated, indicating an underlying liver problem.
- Ultrasound (sonography), a procedure that transmits high-frequency
sound waves through the body. The echoes are transformed into video or
photographs of the internal soft tissue structures of the body.
- Computed tomography(CT scan), a special type of X-ray that
takes detailed images of organs
- Magnetic resonance imaging(MRI), a test that produces very
clear images of the human body using a large magnet, radio waves, and a
computer
- Angiogram, a test that uses dye injected into an artery to show
liver tissue and any tumors
- Laparoscopy, which uses a thin tube with a light (laparoscope) to
observe the liver and other organs inside the abdominal cavity. A biopsy
(removal of tissue for study under a microscope) may be done using a
laparoscope. A biopsy is the most reliable way to determine cancer.