Contents
What is liver cancer?
Cancer roasted – This is a malignant formation, which is a consequence of the process of transformation of hepatocytes into tumor cells. This type of disease is called hepatocellular carcinoma or primary cancer. It is found only in 3-5% of all patients in whom a malignant liver tumor has been found. The most common type of disease is secondary cancer. Initially, a malignant tumor in this case affects other organs and tissues. Most often it is formed in the stomach, ovaries, colon, uterus, lungs, kidneys, mammary glands. But with the blood flow, the cells spread throughout the body and lead to the formation of liver cancer. It is also often referred to as metastatic.
In addition to hepatocellular carcinoma, the following types of liver cancer are distinguished:
Cholangiocellular. It is quite rare compared to other species and is associated with a mutation in the cells of the epithelial tissue of the bile ducts. In the early stages, the disease is difficult to diagnose, patients do not experience pain or discomfort. Therefore, cholangiocellular liver cancer is most often detected too late, when the operation no longer gives positive results.
Hepatocholangiocellular carcioma. This species combines features of cholangiocellular carcinoma and hepatocellular carcinoma. Symptoms and external manifestations of the disease are the same as in the case of primary cancer.
Fibrolamellar carcinoma. It is typical for people under the age of 35, including this type of cancer occurs in children. You can determine it by pain on the right side under the ribs. Early diagnosed fibrolamellar carcinoma is treated by liver transplantation, as well as by resection.
Cystadenocarcinoma. In medicine, cases of this type of liver cancer are considered rare. Women are more susceptible to cystadenocarcinoma, although it also occurs among men. The development of the disease is accompanied by noticeable pain in the lower abdomen, the patient quickly loses weight. During the examination, a large tumor is noticeable, resembling a cyst in structure. This is due to the fact that cystadenocarcinoma in some cases is formed from a congenital cyst or a benign cystadenoma.
Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma. It is the least malignant compared to all other liver tumors, and also develops more slowly. Like other types of this disease, the main symptom of epithelioid hemangioendothelioma is abdominal pain. There is a high probability of spreading metastases throughout the body, so early diagnosis is important.
Angiosarcoma. This type of liver cancer affects older people. It is most likely to develop in those who have been exposed to substances such as arsenic, vinyl chloride, and some other chemical compounds. The tumor in angiosarcoma spreads throughout the organ from the blood vessels. Similarly, the process of formation of hemangiosarcoma occurs. At the same time, the development of the disease passes very quickly: the patient constantly experiences weakness, loses appetite and weight. It is difficult to cope with angiosarcoma, it is practically not operable. In most cases, it is only possible to slow down the rate of development of this liver cancer.
Hepatoblastoma. Such a tumor is formed in young children under the age of 4 years. The child has an accelerated sexual development due to the production of special hormones, weight is reduced, but the stomach is enlarged. In rare cases, hepatoblastoma occurs in patients in adulthood.
undifferentiated sarcoma. This type of liver cancer is difficult to treat. The tumor is formed and develops very quickly. At the same time, the patient has a fever and fever, and the level of sugar in the blood can rise sharply. The tumor can spread to neighboring organs. Undifferentiated sarcoma is more common in children than in adults.
Life expectancy in liver cancer
The likelihood of a favorable outcome in liver cancer is much lower than in cases with other malignant tumors. The reason for this is the late diagnosis of the disease. Symptoms of liver cancer are similar to many other diseases, and treatment is primarily based on them. Therefore, the tumor is detected too late. Primary liver cancer is rare, more often secondary, when the organ is affected by metastases. The tumor itself is formed in other tissues. This is another reason why it is difficult to diagnose liver cancer.
Therefore, the patient’s life expectancy is reduced to several years, and sometimes even months. It also largely depends on the type of tumor. With fibrolamellar carcinoma, patients live from 2 to 5 years, and in some cases even longer. For example, if metastases have not yet covered other organs. Life expectancy with hepatoblastoma and cystadenocarcinoma reaches 5 years, subject to successful liver resection, and with angiosarcoma – only 2 years after the onset of the tumor. The most unfavorable prognosis in patients with undifferentiated liver sarcoma. The disease progresses extremely quickly, so life expectancy is only a few months.
All liver cancers can be classified into operable and inoperable. In the first case, life expectancy after surgery reaches several years, and in the second – only 4 months. In this case, the presence of concomitant diseases, the stage of liver cancer, the prescribed treatment, and even the psychological state of the patient are of great importance. An optimistic attitude contributes to the effective action of medical procedures and drugs.
Liver cancer symptoms
General deterioration of the patient’s condition. Patients with cancerous tumors of the liver quickly lose weight. In young children, anorexia is even possible. Appetite disappears, fatigue quickly appears, fatigue increases.
Digestive disorders. They cause weight loss, which is characteristic of liver cancer. Digestive disorders are manifested in the form of diarrhea, nausea, turning into vomiting, increased gas formation.
Pain in the abdomen. This symptom is observed in most patients with liver cancer. In the early stages of tumor development, pain appears on the right under the ribs only during physical exertion, for example, running or walking, lifting weights. Gradually, discomfort is felt in a calm state. At the same time, due to the growth of the tumor, the abdomen increases in volume. On this basis, patients can independently assume the presence of liver cancer.
Increased body temperature. It reaches 38 °C and stays there. The reason for the increase in body temperature is intoxication of the body.
Jaundice. The tumor prevents the movement of bile from the ducts of the liver to the intestines. As a result, its products enter the bloodstream, and jaundice develops. It can be identified by spots on the skin of a characteristic yellow color. The whites of the patient’s eyes acquire the same shade. The color of the urine becomes more saturated, and the feces, on the contrary, become lighter.
Ascites. The abdomen with liver cancer can increase in volume not only because of the tumor itself, but also as a result of the accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity. The reason for this is the blockage of its output by cancer cells. They also cause irritation of the abdominal mucosa, which also leads to the accumulation of fluid in it.
Nose or internal bleeding.
Causes of Liver Cancer
Chronic viral hepatitis. When the causative agent of this infection enters the body, in most cases the development of the disease occurs. As a result, a full recovery is possible, but in some cases, viral hepatitis becomes chronic. According to doctors, this is due to the state of the patient’s immunity. In hepatitis, the causative agent of infection – the virus develops in the liver. In the case of a chronic disease, various complications are possible, including hepatocellular carcinoma.
Bad habits. Alcohol and tobacco are detrimental to the liver, as they damage the cells of the organ. In combination, they lead to the appearance of malignant tumors, which has been proven on the basis of research. With the abuse of alcohol and tobacco, the risk of developing hepatocellular liver cancer is highest. At the same time, hepatitis increases the likelihood of a tumor.
Hemochromatosis. This term refers to the state of the body when the content of iron and its compounds in it exceeds the permissible norm. Hemochromatosis is inherited, so if one of the relatives suffered it, you should pay attention to it. The disease leads to problems in the liver, and eventually to cirrhosis or cancer. These serious complications can be prevented if hemochromatosis is detected and treated in time.
Cirrhosis of the liver. The main cause of this disease is alcohol abuse. In combination with viral hepatitis leads to cirrhosis, which contributes to the formation of a malignant tumor. The disease itself is not considered oncological and manifests itself in the malfunction of the liver, as well as the deformation of its tissues. But since it is a factor contributing to the development of hepatocellular carcinoma, every six months, patients undergo an examination, on the basis of which the presence of cancer cells is determined.
Syphilis. This disease is viral and causes damage to liver cells. Jaundice is one of the symptoms of syphilis. Active destruction of the liver during the course of the disease leads to the formation of cancerous tumors.
gallstone disease. Stones that form in the bile ducts prevent the removal of bile from the bladder. This causes not only severe pain for the patient, but also such serious complications as liver cancer. To avoid the formation of a tumor, it is necessary to get rid of the stones. Perhaps this is only with the help of surgery.
Diabetes. Patients with elevated blood glucose levels are more likely to develop liver cancer. The risk increases if the disease is associated with other factors: alcoholism, smoking, viral hepatitis and cirrhosis. Diabetes mellitus contributes to the accumulation of lipids, which cause serious liver damage such as cancer.
Anabolic steroid. These drugs are used to accelerate the growth of muscle tissue and act like male hormones – dihydrotestosterone and testosterone. Anabolic steroids due to this property have long been used in bodybuilding. However, their detrimental effect on the body was revealed. The assimilation of anabolic steroids takes place in the liver, which at the same time experiences a strong load. When taking these drugs, both benign and malignant tumors can form. The first after a course of steroids resolve, while the second, on the contrary, progress.
Genetic predisposition. The risk of developing liver cancer increases in patients whose family already has cases of the disease. In this case, regular examinations for the presence of tumor cells should be carried out more often.
Parasites. On the basis of practical research, it was found that a parasite such as opisthorchis, which lives in river fish, leads to liver cancer. He is able to live for a long time outside his usual environment. Most of the fish of the carp family are infected with it. Opisthorchia, which affects the liver and other organs, leads to the formation of malignant cells and the development of cholangiocarcinoma.
Exposure to chemicals. The most dangerous are arsenic and radium. They contribute to the development of hemangiosarcoma and angiosarcoma. The causes of their occurrence can also be vinyl chloride and thorium.
Aflatoxin B1. Soybeans, rice, grains, wheat stored in a humid and warm environment contain a special type of fungus. Aflatoxin B1 is a product of their vital activity and is capable of causing gene mutations that lead to the development of liver cancer.
Contraceptive drugs. They contain estrogen – a special female hormone and contribute to the formation of benign tumors, which in some cases turn into malignant ones.
Stages and grades of liver cancer
Baked crab I degrees
At this stage of the disease, the tumor had just formed and did not have time to penetrate into the vessels. Its size may vary. But in general, a stage I tumor affects no more than a quarter of the liver. This is largely why it is so difficult to diagnose cancer at this stage. All symptoms are mild, the patient may complain of weakness, fatigue. In addition, a grade I malignant tumor does not interfere with the normal functioning of the liver. It is often detected when other diseases are suspected. But during the examination, cancer is confirmed.
If it was possible to diagnose the disease at stage I, this is a great success. Treatment will be the most effective and more likely to have positive dynamics. Therefore, patients who are at risk, for example, patients with viral hepatitis, alcohol abusers, smokers, are advised to undergo an examination as often as possible to detect liver cancer cells.
Cancer baked II degrees
At this stage, the tumor increases in size and penetrates into the blood vessels. Symptoms of the disease are more pronounced. The patient may periodically experience pain in the abdomen during physical exertion. A malignant tumor takes many forms.
Cancer baked III degrees
It is divided into several stages. The first of these is designated in medicine as 3A and implies that the tumor has managed to affect the hepatic or portal vein. There may be several malignant formations at this stage, each of which has a significant size. Thanks to this, a specialist can diagnose liver cancer by examining it. After all, a large tumor leads to seals, visible externally.
At stage 3B, malignant cells connect with organs located near the liver. The only exception is the bladder. Another option is also possible, when the tumor is attached to the outer shell of the liver.
If malignant cells have affected not only the organ itself, but also the lymph nodes, this indicates that stage 3C has begun. In this case, the tumor affects other organs of the body.
Crab baked IV degrees
This stage is considered the most difficult among all possible. The tumor has already managed not only to affect most of the liver, but also spread by metastases throughout the body, affecting other organs as well. This happens through the bloodstream.
The maximum life expectancy for patients with stage IV liver cancer is 5 years. However, such cases are rare. Most often, with the rapid progression of the disease, death occurs after a few months.
Effective treatment of liver cancer at this stage is almost impossible. Doctors are only trying to prolong the patient’s life by keeping the body’s systems functioning longer and slowing down the growth of malignant tumor cells, which occurs uncontrollably. For this, chemotherapy and radiation therapy are used. Surgical intervention in stage IV cancer is already meaningless.
It is often diagnosed during the initial visit of the patient to the doctor. This is due to the asymptomatic course of tumor development. She begins to disturb the patient only in the last stages, when it is no longer possible to help him.
Liver cancer metastases
Metastasis is the appearance of foci of the development of a malignant tumor. The distribution of its cells occurs with the flow of blood and lymph. Their number is constantly increasing, and soon metastases, like a tumor, begin to increase in size.
Secondary liver cancer is the most common. The tumor is formed in the stomach, mammary glands, lungs, pancreas, and then metastasizes to the liver. This happens because of the intensive blood circulation in this organ. Blood enters the liver through both the arterial and portal systems, that is, through the portal vein. In cases of primary cancer, when the tumor forms in the liver, its metastases can affect the brain, heart, kidneys, and spine.
Diagnosis of liver cancer
The doctor can draw some conclusions based on the patient’s sensations and visual examination. Palpation allows you to determine the presence of ascites and an increase in the abdomen, which is one of the symptoms of liver cancer. A blood test of such patients usually shows elevated levels of urobilin and bilirubin.
Ultrasound examination allows you to obtain detailed information about the presence and structure of the tumor, determine its size and its malignancy. Ultrasound provides an opportunity to carry out a puncture without breaking the skin. This is how a doctor can distinguish liver cancer from other diseases with similar symptoms.
Another diagnostic method in this case is computed tomography. Before the procedure, the patient takes an oral contrast agent. It enhances the contours of the organs, so the doctor can clearly see the boundaries and shape of the tumor. With the help of computed tomography, not only the degree of damage to the liver is determined, but also the blood vessels located next to it.
During magnetic resonance imaging, the patient is placed in a narrow tube in which radio waves are emitted. They are absorbed by the tissues of the body, as a result of which malignant tumors can be seen on the computer.
Despite the abundance of various diagnostic methods, the most accurate of them is a biopsy. It involves taking a tissue sample, the study of which allows you to determine the presence of cells of a malignant liver tumor in the body.
Liver cancer treatment
Treatment of liver cancer is prescribed depending on the nature of the tumor, the stage of the disease and the individual characteristics of the patient’s body.
In the early stages, surgical methods are effective:
If the tumor is detected at stage I, then it is possible to remove part of the liver – resection. At the same time, most of the organ is preserved, and the malignant formation is completely eliminated.
In a hemihepatectomy, the surgeon removes half of the liver affected by the tumor. The rest of the organ performs all functions for some time, and then the liver is restored to its previous size.
Radiofrequency ablation is used prior to surgery or if the patient cannot tolerate general anesthesia, which makes surgical intervention impossible. This procedure involves the destruction of liver cancer cells using radio waves. To achieve the best result, it is carried out several times.
Chemotherapy for liver cancer
A number of chemicals are used to fight cancer cells. However, due to rapid addiction, they lose their effectiveness. To avoid this, a special method is used – infusion, which is carried out through the hepatic artery. Thus, the chemical preparation reaches all liver cells and does not affect other tissues and organs. The most common side effects of chemotherapy include nausea, vomiting, bleeding, hair loss, and general malaise.
To reduce the effects of antibiotics and increase their effectiveness, special enzyme preparations, such as Wobenzym, should be used.
Diet for liver cancer
Nutrition plays an important role in the fight against such a serious disease as cancer. It should be as balanced as possible and at the same time not overload the liver. It is recommended to eat in small portions as often as possible.
All products can be conditionally divided into three groups. The first are those that are considered useful for patients with liver cancer. These include dairy products, cereals, carrot and beet juice, most fruits and vegetables, rice, buckwheat, and millet. Soups can be prepared from cereals, which are very nutritious, but at the same time easily digested. Carrot juice has a positive effect on liver function.
In limited quantities, you can use products that belong to the second group. Among them were vegetable and fruit juices, cottage cheese and butter, tea, eggs and butter. Protein deficiency is often observed in patients with liver cancer. To make up for the lack of this important element, it is necessary to eat meat and fish. Preference should be given to low-fat varieties, such as veal, chicken, cod, pike perch. Herring will increase your appetite, as will sauerkraut. This is especially important for patients with cancer, who in most cases have no appetite.
The third group includes all products harmful to patients. These are alcohol, coffee, carbonated drinks, margarine, sugar, fatty meat. You should refuse any products in the preparation of which preservatives and flavor enhancers, hot spices and other additives were used.
Meals should be steamed or in the oven. Products can be boiled, stewed, but nothing can be fried in oil, so as not to create an additional load on the liver. For those who cannot refuse fatty sweets – cakes, pastries, you can replace them with marshmallows, marshmallows or marmalade. However, eat such food in small quantities and not too often. If edema occurs, it is necessary to reduce water intake and refuse salt. If the patient is vomiting, on the contrary, you should increase the amount of fluid you drink.
Treatment of liver cancer with folk remedies
The use of folk remedies must be combined with traditional methods of treatment. Liver cancer is a serious disease that is almost impossible to cope with without the help of chemicals.
But you can improve the effect of them with the help of folk remedies.
Every day before meals, you can take a decoction of oats. For its preparation, the grains are poured with water and boiled over low heat, and then filtered.
Useful in the treatment of liver cancer and watermelon juice. You need to drink it several times a day with a spoonful of honey. You can replace watermelon juice with birch juice, drinking 2 glasses daily.
Propolis can be eaten 40-60 minutes before meals at least 3 times a day. As an alternative, oil from it is also used. It is mixed with boiling butter and kept on low heat for about half an hour, stirring occasionally. Use the resulting mixture several times a day for a tablespoon.