Liver Cancer is very rare in the United States, yet it is more common in other parts of the world. Places where Hepatitis B and C are prominent also have high occurrences of liver cancer. In 2008 about 700,000 people died from liver cancer world wide and this number has been increasing. In some instances everyday habits can increase the chance of getting liver cancer. The Cancer Liver Cancer begins in hepatocyte cells in the liver that mutated into cancer cells, these cells combine to create a tumor.
The most common form of liver cancer is Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) but there are many other forms of liver cancer such as Bile Duct cancer, Anglosarcomas and Heamangiosarcaomas. Only if the tumor starts in the liver is it considered to be a liver cancer tumor. Symptoms of liver cancer include the loss of weight without enough physical exercise to lose the amount lost, loss of one’s appetite, pain in the upper abdomen, nausea and vomiting, swelling in the abdomen, weakness and fatigue, yellow discoloration of skin and the whites of one’s eyes, and having chalky white stools (MayoClinic. com).
Hepatocellular Carcinoma ! Hepatocellular Carcinoma is one of the most common cancers in the world, and the third most common cause of cancer death in the world. The cause of this form of liver cancer is usually from alcohol over doses or from a viral Hepatitis B or C infection. Causes differ from country to country. In a county such as China, the main cause of Hepatocellular Carcinoma is a viral Hepatitis B infection, but in the U. S the main causes are Cirrhosis(largely from alcohol over dose)and Hepatitis C. Having type two diabetes doubles the risk of getting Hepatocellular Carcinoma.
The average length of life of someone with Hepatocellular Carcinoma is six to twenty months and only five percent of patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma live longer than two years. The only known cure for Hepatocellular Carcinoma is removing the tumor with surgery, but this can only happen when the tumor is in an early stage and is small. ! Treatment and Those Most at Risk ! The most successful Treatment that is used today is a surgery to remove the tumor, This method can only be used when the tumor is very small so often it is not used.
There are other methods of treatment such as chemotherapy, freezing cancer cells by spraying them with liquid nitrogen, heating cancer cells with an electrical current, applying pure alcohol to the tumor, and radiation therapy. These are only some of the most successful treatment methods but there are many more. If you have a chronic Hepatitis B or C infection, or an inherited liver disorder than the chances that you will get liver cancer are much greater than one who does not.
Or if if you have Fatty Liver Disorder, or are extremely over weight than you are more likely to get liver cancer (MayoClinic. com). ! Conclusion ! The number of deaths caused by this cancer is startling. I found it interesting that excessive alcohol consumption can lead to liver cancer. If not discovered early, the chance of survival is very slim. Early detection and healthy life habits can help you avoid this type of cancer. ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Sources http://www. mayoclinic. com/health/liver-cancer/DS00399 https://www. clinicalkey. com/topics/surgery/hepatocellular-carcinoma. html.