Liver cancer is cancer that originates from cells in the liver. This cancer can originate from liver cells or from the spread of cancer cells from other organs, such as the intestine, skin, or breast.
The liver has many important functions for the body, including helping the process of digesting food, controlling blood clotting, and cleaning the blood of toxins and harmful substances, such as alcohol.
Liver cancer, symptoms, causes, how to treat, how to prevent.
If the liver is attacked by cancer, the above functions will be disrupted so that toxins accumulate in the body. Liver cancer will also make sufferers prone to bleeding.
Liver cancer is one of the five types of cancer that causes the most death. Based on data from the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2020, liver cancer is the cause of more than 800,000 deaths from cancer worldwide.
Types of Liver Cancer
Liver cancer is divided into primary liver cancer and secondary liver cancer. The following is an explanation:
Primary liver cancer
Primary liver cancer is cancer that starts in the liver. There are several types of primary liver cancer, namely:
Hepatocellular carcinoma
Hepatocellular carcinoma is liver cancer that starts in the main cells that make up the liver tissue (hepatocyte cells). Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common type of primary liver cancer, accounting for 85–90% of all cases of liver cancer.
Liver angiosarcoma
Liver angiosarcoma is liver cancer that starts in the cells of the blood vessels in the liver. Angiosarcomas tend to grow quickly and are often detected only at an advanced stage.
Cholangiocarcinoma
Cholangiocarcinoma is liver cancer that grows in the cells of the bile ducts. Cholangiocarcinoma can start in the bile ducts that are in the liver (intrahepatic) or in the bile ducts that are outside the liver (extrahepatic).
Hepatoblastoma
Hepatoblastoma is liver cancer that starts from immature liver cells. This cancer is very rare and usually occurs in children under 3 years of age.
Secondary liver cancer
Secondary liver cancer is cancer that grows in other organs and then spreads to the liver. Cancers from other organs that most often spread to the liver are stomach cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer, skin cancer, and breast cancer.
Causes and Risk Factors
Liver cancer occurs when cells in the liver undergo changes (mutations) so that these cells grow abnormally and uncontrollably. Not yet known with certainty the cause of the occurrence of these cell mutations. However, there are several conditions that can increase a person's risk of developing liver cancer, namely:
Have hepatitis B or hepatitis C in the long term (chronic)
Excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages
Suffering from fatty liver and cirrhosis of the liver
Have congenital liver disease, such as Wilson's disease
Liver Cancer Symptoms and Complications
The most common symptoms experienced by patients with liver cancer are:
Decreased appetite
Frequent bloating, nausea or vomiting
Weight loss drastically
Get tired
Easy bruising
Yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice)
Swollen belly
If not treated immediately, liver cancer can cause complications in the form of liver damage and failure.
Liver Cancer Prevention
Although not always preventable, there are ways to reduce the risk of liver cancer, namely:
Get hepatitis B vaccination.
Keep your weight to stay ideal.
Apply healthy sexual behavior, namely by using condoms and not changing sexual partners.
Limit consumption of alcoholic beverages.
Do not smoke and stay away from secondhand smoke.
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