Cancer is a chronic disease that occurs due to mutations in the DNA of cells. Inside it are the instructions for the cell to function properly. When there are changes, errors in the indications are generated and the cells become cancer cells.
This disease can start in one organ and spread to other organs. For example, “Lung cancer begins in the lungs and can spread to lymph nodes or other organs in the body, such as the brain. In turn, cancer originating in other organs can spread to the lungs. When cancer cells spread from one organ to another, it is called metastasis.”, detail the Centers for disease control and prevention.
In addition, experts from US National Institutes of Health (NIH) explain that cancer can cause different symptoms, depending on where it originates or if it has spread to other parts of the body.
In this sense, the portal Sevilla ABC pointed out that abdominal pain and frequent nausea are some of the symptoms of liver cancer. In addition, other signs of this type of cancer are loss of appetite and weight, a feeling of fullness even if little is eaten, and yellowing of the skin.
silent liver cancer
Liver cancer can be a silent cancer. The most common is hepatocellular carcinoma and there are others such as intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and hepatoblastoma, although the latter are the least common.
“For people at increased risk of liver cancer due to cirrhosis (from any cause), hereditary hemochromatosis, or chronic hepatitis B infections (even without cirrhosis), some experts recommend liver cancer screening every six months with blood tests for alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and ultrasound. In some studies, screening tests were linked to better survival from liver cancer,” the American Cancer Society explains.
As indicated Mayo Clinica non-profit entity dedicated to clinical practice, education and research, Most patients with liver cancer do not have signs or symptoms of the disease in its early stages. When they manifest, they can include those mentioned above.
Treatment
A timely diagnosis is important to start treatment and reduce the risk of major health complications. When the tumor is not operable, doctors may recommend ethanol injection into the liver, freezing the tumor, or destroying the tumor.
When the cancer has metastasized, that is, it has spread to other organs, the common alternative is chemotherapy and treatment of the disease where it has spread.
“In advanced stages of liver cancer, palliative treatment with chemotherapy is chosen, either intravenously or orally. Radiotherapy is not effective in liver cancer”, indicates the health entity Sanitas.
figures
According to data from the World Health Organization, in 2020 the most common, regarding new cases, were:
- Breast cancer (2.26 million cases).
- Lung cancer (2.21 million cases).
- Rectal colon cancer (1.93 million cases).
- Prostate cancer (1.41 million cases).
- Skin cancer (other than melanoma) (1.20 million cases).
- Gastric cancer (1.09 million cases).
Other types of cancer
- Head and neck cancers.
- Colorectal cancer.
- Skin cancer.
- Cervical cancer.
- Gynecological cancers.
- Lymphoma.
- breast cancer.
- Ovarian cancer.
- Prostate cancer.
- Lung cancer.
- Kidney cancer.
- Thyroid cancer.