Symptoms of liver cancer

Liver cancer, unfortunately, is a widespread problem these days. And this disease affects not only people who "love alcohol", but also those who lead a normal life.

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

So, let's look at the signs of liver cancer more specifically.

If liver cancer develops on the basis of cirrhosis, then here are mainly symptoms of a malignant tumor. The general condition of a person noticeably worsens, and the patient sharply loses his former appearance, namely:

• ascites,
• pain in the liver area,
• fever,
• jaundice,
• nosebleeds,
• cutaneous theangiectasias.

Symptoms of liver cancer are caused by a number of reasons, that is, the soil on which the cancer itself arose. And the causes of cancer can be such diseases:

• helminthiasis - helminthic invasions,
• hepatitis,
• cirrhosis,
• hemochromatosis or its other name bronze diabetes, pigment cirrhosis,
• porphyria.

Also, addiction to alcohol should be attributed to the reasons, since 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 production destroys the main function of the liver, as a result of which alcoholic cirrhosis may occur, and then - liver cancer.

Foods containing aspergillus or aflatoxin, such as aspergillus mushrooms, grains and nuts, are also possible causes of liver cancer.

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What are the symptoms of liver cancer?

As already 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 already talking about the presence of metastases in the liver.

If we talk about localization, 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 the length. If we compare in percentage terms, liver cancer metastases occur 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 symptoms of secondary neoplasms with metastases, then it is caused by primary and secondary tumor phenomena.

There are several types of liver cancer symptoms, just like the cancer itself. Liver cancer can be:

• cholangiocarcinoma. What is it? In medicine, it is explained as a malignant neoplasm that has its origin in 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. There is also anorexia and weakness. In the case of peripheral tumor development, the patient sharply and significantly loses weight,
• Hepatocellular carcinoma is a rapidly progressing disease that is a primary cancer, the symptoms of which will be discussed below.

First symptoms of liver cancer

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

Typically, liver cancer initially manifests itself as general malaise; various dyspeptic disorders, for example: poor appetite, nausea, rarely vomiting; a feeling of heaviness in the hypochondrium on the right side; dull or aching pain; anemia; fever. Weight loss in 85% of patients.

After a few weeks, the main symptom is an enlarged liver – almost 90% of cases. The liver density may be woody and/or lumpy.

During palpation in the liver area, 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 symptom is characteristic of 60%.

10-15% of patients suffer from intra-abdominal bleeding, which causes shock. Endocrinological changes such as Cushing's syndrome, which is the result of the release of hormone-like enzymes by affected cells, are also possible.

Symptoms of liver cancer do not appear immediately, but deterioration occurs quickly, as the disease itself progresses at a fairly high rate.

Symptoms of Primary Liver Cancer

Above we have discussed that liver cancer comes in two types, which include primary cancer. It differs from secondary cancer in that:

• in the first case: comes from the cells of the liver structures,
• in the second: the number of metastatic tumor nodes increases, which were introduced into the liver from other organs during the primary disease.

Primary liver cancer is not a very common occurrence. If we consider it purely statistically, it is 0.2 – 3% of all cancer cases. Every year, about 250,000 patients with liver cancer are registered in the world, where primary cancer is observed in only 6,500 – 8,400 people. Liver cancer is most common 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 division of the cell type:

• hepatocellular, which originates from hepatocytes;
• cholangiocellular - source bile ducts;
• mixed – combines two types of processes at once;
• mesoderm - tumors: angiosarcoma, mesenchymoma, lymphosarcoma.

From here it becomes clear that the symptoms of liver cancer (primary) are varied. But, regardless of the form and type of oncological disease, the leading signs are noticeable weakness, lack of appetite, adynamia, cachexia, anemia, nausea, vomiting.

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Symptoms of liver cancer stage 1

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

• poor appetite,
• weakness, slight malaise,
• nausea,
• dyspeptic disorders.

Most people have experienced these symptoms in combination, and they do not have cancer. Therefore, people with such symptoms rarely panic and go to the doctor, citing "I ate something wrong" or lack of sleep. Accordingly, cancer in the early stages of its development almost does not reveal itself, and a person does not suspect that his disease is quite serious.

Symptoms of stage I liver cancer can appear suddenly and develop gradually, or they can immediately provoke sharp, debilitating pain in the right side and lower abdomen.

If you have such symptoms, you should immediately exclude the use of alcohol, fatty and fried foods, as well as mushrooms. It is logical that a visit to the doctor is mandatory, especially since at the first stage of development this disease is curable. And the liver is the organ that can be restored with the right treatment prescribed by the doctor, which includes surgical intervention to remove 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 (in addition to the symptoms described above):

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

Signs may vary, and sometimes the symptoms are similar to the clinical picture characteristic of the first stage of the disease.

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

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

As a result of changes in the size of the liver (development of a neoplasm), internal bleeding may occur, and the penetration of bile into the bloodstream is also possible.

Symptoms of stage II liver cancer are fraught with their consequences, especially as a result of the penetration of bile into the blood, since all the substances that make up bile enter the blood along with it:

• bile acids,
• cholesterol,
• bilirubin.

Yes, these components are also present in the blood. 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 at stage II can cause death, so 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 stage III is the onset of new symptoms, since the disease has already gained significant momentum.

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

• lack of performance,
• significant weakness that limits the performance of even household chores,
• change in mental state,
• anorexia,
• constant nausea, vomiting,
• a face of an earthy color accompanied by spider veins,
• dyspnea,
• ascites.

The more intensively the disease progresses, the more pronounced its symptoms become.

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

As for the pain sensations, they are usually aching or pulling, which sharply increase during even minor physical exertion. If we talk about the intensity of pain, it is different for everyone.

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

Swelling of the lower extremities and bleeding from enlarged veins of the stomach often occur.

Symptoms of liver cancer stage 4

The very last stage of liver cancer is IV. Of course, the symptoms of liver cancer are already significantly more intense than the previous 3 stages. Metastases are already forming here. Statistics say that with proper treatment, the five-year survival rate of patients is no higher than 10%. We are not saying this to scare, but to warn that the disease should not be neglected until the last stage.

Stage IV cancer is divided into two types: IV A and IV B.

IV A, if we speak in simple human language, without any medical terminology wisdom, then this type is explained by the presence of multiple formations that are located in both lobes of the liver, or a tumor that has affected the portal or hepatic vein.

IV B – this diagnosis is established if there is even 1 distant metastasis. Some cases have been recorded when metastases are found in the lungs, pleura, peritoneum, kidneys, pancreas or skeletal bones.

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

• reduced level of red blood cells, which causes tissue hypoxia,
• due to disturbances in the biological breakdown of bile acids, which accumulate in brain tissue, mental disorders occur, called in medicine - hepatic encephalopathy,
• development of mechanical jaundice. In this case, the patient's skin becomes bright yellow, there is itching, dry skin, abnormal stool,
• intra-abdominal bleeding is possible.

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