Liver Cancer Treated at Karmanos

What is Liver Cancer

Liver cancer is when cancer (malignant) cells form within the tissues of the liver. The liver is the largest of our internal organs, has four lobes, and sits just beneath the right lung. Liver cancer begins in liver cells, most commonly cells called hepatocytes. The most common type of liver cancer in adults is called hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which develops in individuals with chronic liver disease caused by hepatitis virus infection or cirrhosis. Men are more likely to develop HCC than women. Bile duct cancer is another common liver cancer and develops at the connection point between the liver, gallbladder and small intestine.

What are the risk factors for liver cancer?

Risk factors for liver cancer include the following:

• A personal history of hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV).
• A personal history of cirrhosis, which is commonly caused by chronic alcoholism and chronic hepatitis infections.
• A personal history of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).
• Heavy alcohol use.
• An increased amount of Aflatoxin B1 (poison from a fungus that can grow on certain foods, such as corn and nuts) in the diet.
• Cigarette smoking.
• Type 2 diabetes.

How do you screen for liver cancer?

Although there is no standard or routine screening for liver cancer, the following tests can be utilized to screen for liver cancer:

• Ultrasounds produce imaging from high-energy waves that bounce off the liver.
• CT scans provide a series of detailed pictures of the liver taken from various angles.
• Tumor markers can be found in tissue, blood, bone marrow, or other bodily fluids to help in diagnosing cancer. The alpha-fetoprotein tumor marker is the most widely utilized tumor marker test for detecting the presence of liver cancer.

What are the signs of liver cancer?

Signs of liver cancer include:

• A hard lump on the right side just below the rib cage.
• Discomfort in the upper abdomen on the right side.
• A swollen abdomen.
• Jaundice (the yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes).
• Easily bruising or bleeding.
• Unusual tiredness or weakness.
• Nausea, vomiting and weight loss for no reason.
• Pale, chalky bowel movements and dark urine.

What are treatment options for liver cancer?

There are different treatment types for patients with liver cancer including surgery, transplant, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and proton therapy. New treatments are also being tested in clinical trials.

Includes information about liver cancer, causes, risk factors, diagnosis and treatment.