Liver cancer symptoms

Liver cancer, unfortunately, in our time, the problem of an extensive nature. And, this disease affects not only people - "alcohol lovers", but also those who lead a normal life.

Symptoms of liver cancer vary by severity, and naturally, by the presence of metastases in the liver.

So, consider the signs of liver cancer more specifically.

If cancer develops on the basis of cirrhosis, then there are mainly symptoms of a malignant tumor. The general condition of a person deteriorates markedly, and the patient abruptly loses its former appearance, namely:

• ascites,
• pain in the liver,
• fever,
• jaundice,
• nosebleeds,
• skin theangiectasia.

The symptoms of liver cancer are due to a number of reasons, that is, the soil on which the cancer itself originated. And the causes of cancer can be such diseases:

• helminthiasis - worm infestations,
• hepatitis,
• cirrhosis,
• hemochromatosis or another name for it is bronze diabetes, pigment cirrhosis,
• porphyria.

Similarly, the reasons should be attributed to the attachment to alcohol as the liver is a kind of filter in the body. And it is the liver that filters all substances before they enter the blood. Alcohol (we will not go into its chemical and physical properties) with frequent use or poor-quality production destroys the basic function of the liver, as a result of which alcoholic cirrhosis can occur, and after - liver cancer.

Foods containing aspergillus or aflotoxin, for example, mushrooms from the aspergillus family, cereals and nut crops, are also causes of possible liver cancer.

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What are the symptoms of liver cancer?

As mentioned above, the symptoms of liver cancer depend on the degree and more specific type of cancer, for example, metastatic liver cancer, that is, here we are talking about the presence of metastasis in the liver.

If we talk about localization, then metastatic liver cancer occupies a leading position among other organs. As a rule, metastasis occurs in the hepatic artery, in the portal vein and further along. If we compare the percentage, liver cancer metastases are found in more than 90%, in pancreatic cancer - 50%, in colorectal cancer - 20–50%, in stomach cancer - 35%, in breast cancer - 30%, in Esophageal cancer - 25%.

If we are talking about the symptoms of secondary tumors with metastases, it is caused by primary and secondary tumor phenomena.

The symptoms of liver cancer are of several kinds, just like the cancer itself. Liver cancer is:

• cholangiocarcinoma. What it is? In medicine, it is explained as a malignant neoplasm, which has its origin in the small epithelial cells of the intrahepatic biliary ducts. The main symptoms of this disease include jaundice, which is accompanied by pain in the lower abdomen. Immediately and anorexia, weakness. In the case of peripheral tumor development, the patient dramatically and significantly loses weight,
• Hepatocellular carcinoma is a rapidly progressive disease that is a primary cancer, the symptoms of which will be discussed below.

First symptoms of liver cancer

The symptoms of liver cancer at the initial stage of their development are not always significant, which is why patients often do not pay attention to the existing signs of the disease.

Usually, liver cancer first manifests itself in general malaise; various dyspeptic disorders, for example: poor appetite, nausea, rarely vomiting; feeling of heaviness in hypochondrium on the right side; dull or aching pains; anemia; fever. Loss of body weight in 85% among patients.

Already after several weeks the main symptom is an increase in the liver - almost 90% of cases. Liver density may carry a ligneous and / or lumpy character.

In the process of probing in the liver zone, a painful “ball-like” formation can be detected, but only in half of the cases. Jaundice does not appear immediately - gradually, which is the main signal of liver failure. This sign is peculiar in 60%.

10 - 15% of patients suffer intra-abdominal bleeding, during which there is a shock. Endocrinological changes are not excluded, such as: Cushing's syndrome - the result of the release of hormone-like enzymes by the affected cells.

Symptoms of liver cancer do not appear immediately, but deterioration occurs quickly, as the disease itself progresses rather rapidly.

Symptoms of primary liver cancer

Above, we considered that liver cancer is of two types, which include primary cancer. It differs from secondary cancer in that:

• in the first case: it comes from the cells of the liver structures,
• in the second: the number of metastatic tumor nodules increases, which were transferred to the liver from other organs even in the course of the primary disease.

Primary liver cancer, in principle, is not such a frequent occurrence. If viewed purely statistically, then 0.2 - 3% of all cases of cancer. Every year in the world, there are cases of liver cancer in about 250,000 patients, where primary cancer is observed in only 6,500 - 8,400 people. Most often, liver cancer is found in South Africa, Senegal, India, China, and the Philippines. An interesting fact is that men are more susceptible to this disease than women.

Symptoms of liver cancer in this case are divided into two types, as the disease itself can be nodular and diffuse. There is also a cell type division:

• hepatocellular, which is derived from hepatocytes;
• cholangiocellular - source of bile ducts;
• mixed - combines two types of processes at once;
• mesadermal - tumors: angisarcoma, mesenchymoma, lymphosarcoma.

From this it becomes clear that the symptoms of liver cancer (primary) are diverse. But, regardless of the form and type of cancer, the leading signs are a noticeable weakness, lack of appetite, weakness, cachexia, anemia, nausea, vomiting.

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Symptoms of liver cancer stage 1

Symptoms of liver cancer at the beginning of its occurrence is difficult to determine, since its symptoms are similar to other diseases. Many patients initially take these symptoms for exhaustion or fatigue. So, which signs are characteristic of liver cancer stage I:

• weak appetite
• weakness, light ailments,
• nausea,
• dyspeptic disorders.

Most people experienced these symptoms in a complex, and at the same time they have no cancer. Therefore, people with such symptoms rarely panic and go to the doctor, referring to "ate something wrong" or lack of sleep. Accordingly, in the early stages of its development, cancer almost does not reveal itself, and the person does not suspect that his disease is serious enough.

Symptoms of liver cancer in the І stage can occur suddenly and at the same time develop gradually, and can immediately provoke a sharp debilitating pain in the right side and lower abdomen.

In the presence of such symptoms, you should immediately eliminate the use of alcohol, fatty and fried foods, as well as mushrooms. It is logical that a visit to the doctor is obligatory, especially since at the first stage of development this disease is curable. And the liver is the organ that can be restored with proper treatment established by a doctor, which includes surgery to eliminate the tumor.

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Symptoms of liver cancer stage 2

In this case, the symptoms of liver cancer are more pronounced than in the previous version, namely (except for the above described symptoms):

• body temperature ranges from 37.5 ° C to 37.9 ° C,
• aching pain in right hypochondrium,
• changes in taste, such as dislike of meat products or a desire to eat inedible foods.

Signs can be different, and sometimes the symptoms are similar to the clinical picture inherent in the first stage of the disease.

What should alert the patient with liver cancer stage II is a significant increase in the liver, including hepatomegaly.

If the patient is thin, then the enlarged liver is visible to the naked eye when viewed from the patient in a standing position.

As a result of a change in the size of the liver (development of a neoplasm), internal bleeding may occur, and bile penetration into the blood channel is not excluded.

Symptoms of liver cancer ІІ second stage are fraught with its consequences, especially as a result of the penetration of bile into the blood as all substances entering into the composition of bile enter the blood:

• bile acids
• cholesterol,
• bilirubin.

Yes, these components are in the blood too. But when they are added by the introduction of bile, their concentration in the blood increases significantly. And such a phenomenon is life threatening.

Signs of liver cancer already in the second stage can cause death, therefore, you should immediately consult a doctor to prevent the onset of stage III.

Symptoms of liver cancer stage 3

It is logical that the onset of ІІІ is the onset of new signs, as the disease has already gained significant momentum.

Symptoms of liver cancer at stage III, in addition to those that were considered at stage I and II, are as follows:

• lack of performance,
• a significant weakness that limits even the housework,
• change in mental state
• anorexia,
• constant nausea, vomiting,
• face of earthy color, accompanied with vascular asterisks,
• dyspnea,
• ascites.

The more the disease progresses, the more severe its symptoms become.

Local changes are caused by significant painfulness in palpation, combined with an endless feeling of heaviness in the hypochondrium on the right side.

As for pain, then, as a rule, they are aching or pulling, which are sharply intensified in the process of even slight physical exertion. If it speaks of the intensity of pain, then it is different for everyone.

Symptoms of liver cancer stage III, namely, severe pain in the abdomen and in the right side, indicate that the tumor has spread to other organs. Some patients at stage III of this cancer can not do without painkillers, sometimes even narcotic analgesics become a permanent "drug."

Often there is swelling of the lower extremities, as well as bleeding from enlarged veins of the stomach.

Symptoms of liver cancer stage 4

The most recent stage of liver cancer is IV. Of course, the symptoms of liver cancer already significantly exceed the previous 3 stages. Here metastases are already formed. The statistician says that with proper treatment, the five-year survival rate of patients is no higher than 10%. We say this not in order to intimidate, but in order to warn that one should not start the disease until the last condition.

The IV stage of cancer is divided into two types: IV A and IV.

ІV And, if we speak in simple human language, without any medical terminological intricacies, then this type is explained by the presence of a multitude of formations that are located in both lobes of the liver, or a tumor that struck the portal or hepatic vein.

IV B - such a diagnosis is established if even 1 distant metastasis is present. There are some cases where metastases are found in the lungs, pleura, peritoneum, kidneys, pancreas, or bones of the skeleton.

Symptoms of liver cancer stage IV include the symptoms of all stages of cancer plus these:

• reduced red blood cell levels, which causes tissue hypoxia,
• due to violations of the biological breakdown of bile acids, which accumulate in the brain tissue, mental disorders occur, called in medicine - hepatic encephalopathy,
• development of obstructive jaundice. In this case, the patient's skin becomes bright yellow, itchy, dry skin, impaired stool,
• possible intra-abdominal bleeding.

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