People with chronic liver disease should beware of getting hepatocellular carcinoma

Consumption of excess alcohol should be avoided                                                     Representational Image

New Delhi, July 01, 2018 : A draft consensus document has been issued recently by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) for treating the most common type of liver cancer— hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This is expected to work as a reference point for doctors and caregivers. HCC accounts for 90% of cancers of the liver worldwide and is growing in incidence in most countries. It is the third leading cause of annual deaths due to cancer (7 lakh deaths each year) after lung and stomach cancer.

HCC occurs most often in people with chronic liver diseases, such as cirrhosis caused by hepatitis B or hepatitis C infection. It is the most common type of liver cancer. With timely diagnosis and treatment, it is possible to cure this condition.

Speaking about this, Padma Shri Awardee, Dr KK Aggarwal, President, HCFI, said, “The liver helps in removing toxins and other chemical waste products from the blood and readying them for excretion. As all the blood in the body passes through it, the liver is unusually accessible to cancer cells traveling in the bloodstream. The liver is made up of several kinds of cells, due to which different types of tumors can form there. They could be benign (noncancerous), or cancerous and can spread to other parts of the body (metastasize). These tumors have different causes and are treated differently. More than half of all people diagnosed with primary liver cancer have cirrhosis — a scarring condition of the liver commonly caused by alcohol abuse.”

Some common symptoms of liver cancer include loss of weight and appetite; nausea or vomiting; enlarged liver and spleen; pain in the abdomen or near the right shoulder blade; swelling or fluid build-up in the abdomen; itching; and yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice).

Adding further, Dr Aggarwal, who is also the Group Editor of IJCP, said, “There are 4 main T stages – T1 to T4. The main factors that doctors take into account are the size of the liver tumours and whether the cancer has grown into any blood vessels in the liver. This may mean that the cancer is obviously growing into or around a vein or artery. Or it may mean that there is microscopic growth of cancer cells into the vein or artery wall.”

Some tips from HCFI

• Limit the use of alcohol and tobacco. Consumption of excess alcohol is a major risk factor for developing liver cancer over a period of time.
• Eat healthy and consume plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. These are rich in antioxidants and prevent the formation of free radicals in the body.
• Aim to get at least 30 minutes of exercise every day. This will not only keep you fit but also reduce excess weight.
• Get vaccinated for Hepatitis B and C. These diseases increase the likelihood of liver cancer.
• Limit exposure to cancer-causing chemicals.