What is liver Cancer? Is it treatable?

 

Liver cancer is caused by the abnormal secretion and accumulation of cancerous cells on the liver tissue. The problem severely affects the liver and if not treated on time, it can lead to liver failure or even death. BLK Hospital should be the first choice for people looking for the best liver hospital in India. The Hospital is known for his state of art infrastructure and world class facilities and has a team of some of the leading doctors and surgeons including the  best liver doctor in India. The doctors not only aim at the treatment but also the rehabilitation of the patients and help them to cope up with the whole treatment procedure which involves both surgical and non surgical methods like chemotherapy, radiation therapy etc. The doctors use latest technology to counter any problem and give the patients a better chance at life. The comfort and satisfaction of the patients is the utmost priority of BLK hospital and this is why it is the most trusted medical centers in the whole country.

Liver is the largest organ of the human body. It is an endocrine gland and plays a major role in the digestive system. It helps in the breakdown of complex fats by secreting digestive enzymes like bile. Liver cancer is caused the accumulation of abnormal cells on the liver tissue and the problem is incurable. However there are various different ways of keeping the problem at bay. Once the malignant tumor starts to form it spreads to the whole liver very fast and the hole organ gets involved in no time. Liver cancer can be primary or metastatic, which means that the cancer either starts in the liver itself or spreads to the liver from some other organ. Liver cancer leads to the formation of malignant hepatic tumors in or on the liver. The patient suffering from liver cancer have comparably a low survival rate hence it becomes very important to detect and treat the problem as soon as possible.

Liver cancer can be caused by a no of factors, the most common of which is consumption of alcohol. Excessive consumption of alcohol can lead to cirrhosis which is the major cause of liver cancer. Apart from this, liver cancer can also be triggered by prevailing medical conditions like Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, hemochromatosis, and type 2 diabetes. Family history may also contribute to the problem. Long term exposure to Long-term exposure to aflatoxis which are found in groundnuts, corn, soya beans etc can also lead to liver cancer. Obesity is another important factor that triggers liver cancer. Obese people are very prone to develop liver problems like fatty liver which ultimately triggers the formation of malignant cells. Liver cancer is more common in males than in females owing to the fact that males tend to consume more alcohol as compared to females.

The various symptoms associated with liver cancer include jaundice, severe pain in the abdomen, considerable weight loss, change in the size of liver due to inflammation, nausea, pain in the back, especially lower back, unexplained itching and irritation, fluctuating body temperature.

Liver cancer has four different stages just like any other cancer. These are mentioned below

Stage I - this is the initial stage of the cancer when the tumour has not spread to the whole liver or any other part of the body.

Stage II - during this stage the cancer has proceeded further and small  tumors start developing at various different sites on the liver. Some cancer cells may also penetrate into the blood channels.

Stage III - the tumors become quiet large during this stage and the cancerous cells enter the main blood vessels. The metastasis of the cancer to the gallbladder may also take place.

Stage IV - this is the final stage of the cancer in which the cancer has completely metasized and spread to various other parts of the body and once it reaches the brain, there is nothing that can be done.

The major treatments involve partial hepatectomy and liver transplant.

Partial hepatectomy - it is the surgical removal of the tumor in the initial stages of the cancer. The treatment can prove to be quiet complicated in people suffering from cirrhosis. Since the procedure may lead to the removal of some healthy tissues as well and in case of cirrhosis, hepatectomy needs to leave behind enough healthy tissue for the proper functoning of the liver, or else the patient might collapse. Even if the doctors have planned to perform the surgery, the can stop it mid way if they feel any threat to the life of the patient. The procedure is suitable only for people who have an otherwise healthy liver so that they can sustain the loss of some healthy tissues.

Liver transplant - in case of liver transplant, the size of the tumor has to be kept in consideration and it shouldn't be larger than 5 cm. It greatly reduces the possibility of developing the cancer in future. The patient needs to get some part of his liver replace with a healthy liver. The donor can be the patients close family member or any person whose blood group matches with that of the patient and wants to donate the liver on his own will. Since the liver has regenerative properties, the donor grows back the donated part of his liver within no time.

In case the cancer is incurable, the life expectancy of the patient can be increased by certain procedures like chemotherapy, ablative therapy and radiation therapy. These may help to add several more years to the life of the patient.