The liver does not hurt, and cancer does not give symptoms for a long time. These signs must be disturbing

The liver is a very busy organ. It performs many functions in our body, which is why it is exposed to many dangers. It’s not innervated, so it doesn’t send out any warning signals that something is wrong. Therefore, in the prevention of liver cancer, it is important to pay attention to certain ailments early enough. What should worry us?

1. Liver cancer is the third largest cancer mortality in the world
2. Every year in Poland liver cancer is diagnosed in 1,5 thousand. people
3. The number of deaths caused by this disease is much higher, because in some patients hepatocellular carcinoma is not diagnosed during the lifetime
4. The disease initially shows no symptoms. So what should we pay attention to?
5. These are primarily problems related to the digestive system, appetite disorders, nausea, diarrhea and pain in the right side of the abdomen
6. More information on interesting information can be found on the Onet homepage

Liver – what are its functions?

The liver is one of the largest and most important organs in our body. It filters the blood, cleanses the body of toxins, produces bile, stores vitamins, regulates the activity of various chemicals and hormones, and also stores glycogen, which is our energy reserve.

Due to its function, it is constantly exposed to damage, e.g. for poisoning and viral infections that can develop in it for many years without causing any ailments or causing uncharacteristic symptoms.

– The liver has a great ability to regenerate, which is why the disease process lasts for years – said Prof. Waldemar Halota, head of the Department and Clinic of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, UMK Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz.

Liver cancer – symptoms

The liver does not hurt and cannot send alarm signals to the brain because it is not innervated. Therefore, many people may not suspect that something is wrong with this organ. Liver cancer may develop unnoticed for some time. Therefore, only in the advanced stage of the disease, as a result of a significant increase in its size, does the liver signal some abnormalities. The enlarged organ begins to put pressure on the liver capsule surrounding it, which is strongly vascularized.

So what should worry us? Pay attention when:

1. fill up quickly or have a reduced appetite,
2. you feel tired and weak,
3. you feel a lump below the right side of the chest
4. you feel pain in the upper right corner of your abdomen or near your right shoulder,
5. you have an upset stomach, you suffer from diarrhea, nausea and vomiting,
6. the abdomen is swollen
7. you lose weight for no apparent reason
8. your urine is dark and foamy and your faeces are light
9. your skin is yellowish and so are the whites of your eyes, and a yellow coating may also appear on your tongue.

Liver cancer – risk factors

Certain diseases, not only related to the liver, can increase the risk of liver cancer.

Primarily:

1. long-term hepatitis B or C
2. cirrhosis of the liver – a condition in which healthy tissues of this organ are replaced by scarring
3. non-alcoholic fatty liver disease – that is, the accumulation of fat in the liver
4. congenital diseases, such as haemochromatosis (it increases the absorption and storage of iron in the liver and other organs)

One of the main causes of cirrhosis of the liver is alcohol consumption for many years. This means that alcohol abuse can also contribute to the development of liver cancer. In turn, the risk factors for the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease include, inter alia, overweight, diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome, impaired lipid metabolism or a condition called metabolic syndrome.

Liver cancer risk factors also include smoking, a diet high in fat and sugar, and liver parasites.

Toxins also increase the risk of liver cancer

The risk of liver cancer is also increased due to toxins. Primarily:

1. aflatoxins, i.e. substances produced by mold fungi from the Aspergillus family. The fungus spores are dispersed by wind or insects and thus end up in crops (maize, peanuts) and then into storage facilities;
2. arsen – a chemical element found in the earth’s crust. Therefore, the sources of arsenic are polluted water, fish and seafood, and rice and its products; 
3. thorium dioxide – a substance with industrial use, formerly also used (now no longer) as a contrast agent in X-ray examinations;
4. vinyl chloride – a chemical substance used in the production of certain plastics (PVC), metal products, machinery, packaging and medical equipment.

Liver cancer – prevention

Liver cancer is difficult to prevent. You can only reduce the risk of getting sick.

The elements of prevention are:

1. vaccination against hepatitis B,
2. limit the amount of alcohol you drink, preferably to one (women) or two units (men) a day,
3. maintaining a healthy body weight thanks to a proper diet and physical activity,
4. use of proven beauty salons and tattoo studios,
5. using disposable needles,
6. avoiding contact with blood,
7. not sharing cosmetics,
8. the use of condoms during intercourse.

We encourage you to listen to the latest episode of the RESET podcast. This time we devote it to epigenetics. What is? How can we influence our genes? Do our elderly grandparents give us a chance for a long and healthy life? What is trauma inheritance and is it possible to somehow oppose this phenomenon? Listen: