Liver Cancer

 

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Cyberknife VSI Robotic Radiosurgery Treatment for Liver Cancer

Liver cancer is cancer that begins in the cells of your liver. Your liver is a football-sized organ that sits in the upper right portion of your abdomen, beneath your diaphragm and above your stomach. Liver cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer in the world, but liver cancer is uncommon in the United States. Rates of liver cancer diagnosis are increasing in the United States.

In the United States, most cancer that occurs in the liver begins in another area of the body, such as the colon, lung or breast. Doctors call this metastatic cancer, rather than liver cancer. And this type of cancer is named after the organ in which it began — such as metastatic colon cancer to describe cancer that begins in the colon and spreads to the liver.

Causes

It’s not clear what causes most cases of liver cancer. But in some cases, the cause is known. For instance, chronic infection with certain hepatitis viruses can cause liver cancer.

Liver cancer occurs when liver cells develop changes (mutations) in their DNA — the material that provides instructions for every chemical process in your body. DNA mutations cause changes in these instructions. One result is that cells may begin to grow out of control and eventually form a tumor — a mass of malignant cells..

Symptoms of Liver Cancer

Most people don’t have signs and symptoms in the early stages of primary liver cancer. When symptoms do appear, they may include:

• Losing weight without trying
• Loss of appetite
• Upper abdominal pain
• Nausea and vomiting
• General weakness and fatigue
• An enlarged liver
• Abdominal swelling
• Yellow discoloration of your skin and the whites of your eyes (jaundice).

Risk Factors

Factors that increase the risk of primary liver cancer include:

• Your sex. Men are more likely to develop liver cancer than are women.
• Your age. In North America, Europe and Australia, liver cancer most commonly affects older adults. In developing countries of Asia and Africa, liver cancer diagnosis tends to occur at a younger age — between 20 and 50.
• Chronic infection with HBV or HCV. Chronic infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) increases your risk of liver cancer.
• Cirrhosis. This progressive and irreversible condition causes scar tissue to form in your liver and increases your chances of developing liver cancer.
• Certain inherited liver diseases. Liver diseases that can increase the risk of liver cancer include hemochromatosis, autoimmune hepatitis and Wilson’s disease.
• Diabetes. People with this blood sugar disorder have a greater risk of liver cancer than do people who don’t have diabetes.
• Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. An accumulation of fat in the liver increases the risk of liver cancer.
• Exposure to aflatoxins. Consuming foods contaminated with fungi that produce aflatoxins greatly increases the risk of liver cancer. Crops such as corn and peanuts can become contaminated with aflatoxins.
• Excessive alcohol consumption. Consuming more than a moderate amount of alcohol can lead to irreversible liver damage and increase your risk of liver cancer.
• Obesity. Having an unhealthy body mass index increases the risk of liver cancer.

 

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Our goal is to help patients focus on their education and clinical decision making with their Physician Specialists by alleviating the anxiety insurance and other financial factors can add to this trying time.

Please inquire about our Compassionate Care Travel Assistance Program.

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