Liver Cancer

There are a number of risk factors when it comes to liver cancer. These risk factors include: 

• Heavy alcohol consumption 
• Chronic infection with Hep B or hep C
• Cirrhosis 
• Type 2 diabetes 
• Non alcoholic fatty liver disease 
• Obesity 
• Tobacco use 
• Age – liver cancer is more common in older people over the age of 60 
• Family history

Signs and symptoms of liver cancer often don’t show up until the cancer later stages of the disease, once the cancer is more advanced. Signs and symptoms of liver cancer can include:

• A feeling of discomfort on the upper right side of the abdomen
• A hard lump on the right side of the abdomen, below the rib cage
• Pain in the upper back, around the right shoulder blade
• Unexplained weight loss
• Jaundice – a yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes
• Unusual tiredness
• Loss of appetite and/or nausea.

It is important to note that there are a number of conditions that may cause these symptoms, not just liver cancer. If any of these symptoms are experienced, it is important to discuss them with your GP.

You can lower your risk of getting liver cancer by living a healthy lifestyle. This means engaging in regular exercise, eating a healthy diet, controlling your weight, limiting your consumption of alcohol and not smoking tobacco. 

Another way to decrease your risk is to protect yourself against hep B or hep C infection or if diagnosed to seek adequate treatment to prevent cirrhosis.

If liver cancer is suspected, a number of tests can be performed to provide a diagnosis. Some of the more common tests include:

• A physical examination.
• Examination of a blood sample.
• Imaging/scanning of the liver and nearby organs.
• Examination of the inside of the abdomen using a laparoscope (a thin tube with a light on the end).
• Examination of a tissue sample (biopsy) from the liver.

If liver cancer is diagnosed, treatment options for liver cancer depend on the stage of the disease, the severity of symptoms and the person’s general health.

Liver cancer can be difficult to cure as often it is not caught in the early stage as signs and symptoms may not show up until later. If liver cancer is caught in its early stages, this then makes it easier to cure before the cancer spreads. Once liver cancer has been cured through treatment, it may come back so regular check ups are required.

Treatment options can include surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and/or targeted therapies to destroy cancer cells.

The liver can be difficult to operate on because of its position near major blood vessels and the rib cage and the fact that it is large, dense and delicate.

However, in most instances the most effective treatment for liver cancer is surgical removal of the diseased section. A full liver transplant may only be considered if a patient has another liver disease, like cirrhosis – which can make the liver very weak. Surgery will also depend on the severity of the cancer.

Image guided procedures, for instance, may be performed through the skin without an incision to control the spread of cancer. These include ablation, where a chemical agent is used to destroy the cancer and embolisation, where the tumour’s blood supply is cut off.

Chemotherapy may be used after surgery to increase treatment success. Radiation therapy, however, is not used.