Symptoms of liver cancer
Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes) is a common sign of liver cancer. It happens when too much bilirubin builds up in your blood. Bilirubin is a yellow pigment created when hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells, breaks down. Normally, your liver processes bilirubin and carries it to the intestines through tubes called ducts. In the intestines, bilirubin is absorbed and passed out of the body in stool.
Liver cancer usually affects the hepatic (liver) part of your liver. It can also spread to other parts of your body, including the lungs and bones. Most people with liver cancer don’t have any symptoms in the early stages of their disease. Signs and symptoms often appear as the cancer grows larger and changes your liver or bile ducts.
The most common type of liver cancer in adults is hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). HCC usually develops after chronic (long-lasting) liver disease caused by hepatitis virus infection or alcohol-related cirrhosis.
HCC can be cured by surgery to remove the tumour and some surrounding tissue. Your doctor can talk to you about your treatment options.
If your cancer is in the advanced stages, it may not be possible to cure it with surgery. In this case, your doctor may recommend other treatments, such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
If you have jaundice, your doctor will order tests to check for liver cancer or other health problems that can cause it. These include a complete blood count (CBC) and a liver function test. Bilirubin tests, which measure levels of unconjugated bilirubin and conjugated bilirubin, help doctors diagnose the cause of your jaundice. If your bilirubin level is high, it means that your liver or hepatic duct isn’t working correctly. This can lead to complications, such as itchy skin (pruritus).
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Pain is a common sign of cancer that has spread to the liver. It is often felt in the right upper abdomen, where it can feel full or like a knot under the ribs on the right side (symptoms of an enlarged liver). The pain may also radiate to the back. It may be sharp or dull and feel different from day to day. It can also be a sign that the cancer is getting worse.
There are two main types of liver cancer. Hepatocellular carcinoma, or HCC, starts in the liver cells and is most common in people who have cirrhosis, which can be caused by long-term alcohol drinking or infection with the hepatitis B or C virus. It's also more common in men than in women and gets more serious with age. A rare sub type of liver cancer called fibrolamellar carcinoma is more likely to affect younger people and usually doesn't link with cirrhosis or hepatitis B or C.
Hepatocellular carcinoma tends to develop in the center of the liver, while fibrolamellar carcinoma forms around the edges of the liver. The type of tumor can influence the symptoms and how they're treated.
A biopsy is a procedure that removes tissue from the liver and sends it to a lab to determine whether it's cancerous. Some growths in the liver aren't cancerous and don't need treatment.
The most common way to stage liver cancer is by using the American Joint Committee on Cancer (TNM) or Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) staging system. Staging describes the severity of your cancer and can help your doctor plan your treatment. Some cancers can't be completely removed by surgery, which is referred to as advanced cancer or BCLC stage D.
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In the late stages of liver cancer, people often lose their appetite. This may be due to pain, sickness or fatigue. It can also be a sign that the cancer has spread (metastasized). If you have been diagnosed with metastatic liver cancer, any new symptoms should be reported to your doctor immediately. The type of symptoms you experience will depend on where the new tumors are located.
If a cancer in the bile duct is causing loss of appetite, doctors can treat it by performing a procedure called cholangiocarcinoma embolization. This involves blocking the blood flow to a section of the liver and to the tumor, thereby starving it of nutrients and oxygen.
This is an advanced stage of liver cancer, and if you have it, you will need more treatment than someone with less severe disease. You will likely need chemotherapy, radiation therapy and possibly surgery or a procedure to destroy the tumor using heat. Whether these treatments are effective depends on the location of the tumor, its grade and stage and your general health.
Liver cancer can cause pain in the area of the upper abdomen, where it is located. This pain usually feels like a sharp, dull or burning sensation and is felt in the right side of the body. It can be difficult to pinpoint the source of this pain, since it can also be caused by other conditions such as cirrhosis or gastritis.
At this stage, you will probably have a loss of appetite and weight loss. You can try to improve your appetite by eating small, frequent meals throughout the day. If your appetite is not improving, your doctor can prescribe medications to help you feel better. They can also refer you to a specialist in palliative care for help with pain and other symptoms.
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Unintentional weight loss without a change in diet or exercise is one of the first signs of liver cancer. Unexplained weight loss that lasts more than six months should be discussed with a doctor.
Liver cancer can also cause the spleen to become enlarged. The spleen is a large organ in your upper right abdomen that helps with blood flow to and from the liver. It also helps your body fight infections and protects against damage from certain kinds of medication.
Sometimes, the enlarged spleen is felt as a painless lump under the skin in the area of your rib cage on the right side of your body. Other times, it feels like a hard lump or mass that presses on your rib cage and causes pain when you breathe. This pain is usually worse at night and may go away when you lie down.
The main type of liver cancer is hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). It starts in the cells that make bile, a fluid that breaks down fats and makes energy. Liver cancer can also start in the bile ducts that carry bile to and from the gallbladder. This is called cholangiocarcinoma, and it most often affects men over age 55. It can also affect women over the age of 60 and people whose race is Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic, or American Indian/Alaska Native.
A diagnosis of liver cancer can be stressful. It can also lead to changes in appetite and weight. It is important to maintain good nutrition before, during and after cancer treatment, to avoid malnutrition. Your healthcare team can help you plan healthy meals. They can also recommend programs and services to help you quit smoking or drink less alcohol.
Oren Zarif on different types of liver cancer
The liver is a large organ in the upper right side of your abdomen, behind your ribs. It performs many critical functions, including storing nutrients and preparing blood for clotting. It also filters toxins from your body. If cancer begins in the liver, it may spread to other parts of your body. When this happens, it is called metastatic cancer.
Often, liver cancer doesn't cause symptoms in its early stages. But it's still important to see your doctor if you have any unusual symptoms. Especially if you have a risk factor for liver cancer such as hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, chronic hepatitis or cirrhosis.
Nausea is the feeling of needing to vomit or having the urge to throw up. It is different from reflux or regurgitation which occur without forceful abdominal contractions. Vomiting may be accompanied by a bitter taste in the mouth and a bloated stomach. You should seek medical attention if you have vomiting that lasts more than 24 hours, are unable to keep fluids down or are expelling green, brown or red vomit.
When you go to the doctor, they will ask about your health history and do a physical exam. They will also run some blood tests to look for signs of cancer in your liver and other organs. They may also order an imaging test such as a computed tomography (CT) scan, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or an ultrasound. They may also inject dye into your artery to track the flow of blood through your liver. In some cases, they will need to remove a sample of your liver tissue to check for cancer.
During this procedure, healthcare providers make a small cut in your abdomen and insert a thin viewing instrument called a laparoscope. If you have advanced liver cancer, they might need to take samples of your fatty tissue to help them diagnose the type and stage of the tumor.
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