Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Hepatocellular carcinoma is cancer of the liver.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
Hepatocellular carcinoma accounts for 80 - 90% of all liver cancers. This type of cancer occurs more often in men than women, usually in people 50 to 60 years old. The disease is more common in parts of Africa and Asia than in North or South America and Europe.
The cause of liver cancer is usually cirrhosis (scarring of the liver). Cirrhosis may be caused by viral hepatitis, primarily hepatitis B and C, alcohol abuse, hemochromatosis, certain autoimmune diseases of the liver, and other diseases that result in chronic inflammation of the liver. The most common cause for cirrhosis in the United States is alcohol abuse.
Symptoms
- Abdominal pain or tenderness, particularly in the right-upper quadrant
- Enlarged abdomen
- Easy bruising or bleeding
- Jaundice (a yellow discoloration of the skin and eyes).
Aggressive surgery or liver transplantation may be successful in treating small or slow-growing tumors if they are diagnosed early.
Chemotherapy and radiation treatments are not usually effective but may be used to shrink large tumors so that surgery has a greater chance of success.
Prevention
Preventing and treating viral hepatitis may help reduce risk. Avoid excessive alcohol consumption. Certain patients may benefit from hemochromatosis screening.
Credit: National Institute of Health.