Liver Cancer

The liver, which is located below the right lung and under the ribcage, is one of the largest organs of the human body. Liver cancer is a type of cancer that starts in the liver. Some cancers develop outside the liver and spread to the liver.

Causes

• People with both hepatitis B or C have a significantly higher risk of developing liver cancer than other healthy individuals, as both forms of the disease can result in cirrhosis.
• Family history
• Heavy alcohol use: Consuming alcohol regularly and in excessive amounts is one of the leading causes.
• Long-term exposure to aflatoxins: An aflatoxin is a substance made by a fungus. The risk of liver cancer only increases following long-term exposure. This is less of a problem in industrialized nations.
• Low immunity: People with weakened immune systems, such as those with HIV/AIDS have a risk of liver cancer.
• Obesity: Being obese raises the risk of developing many cancers, including liver cancer.
• Gender: A higher percentage of males get liver cancer compared to females.
• Smoking: Individuals with hepatitis B or C face a higher risk of liver cancer if they smoke.
• Arsenic: People who rely on water wells that contain naturally-occurring levels of the toxin arsenic may eventually have a significantly higher risk.

Symptoms of Liver Cancer

The signs and symptoms of liver cancer tend not to be noticed until the cancer reaches an advanced stage:

• jaundice
• abdominal pain
• unexplained weight loss
• an enlarged liver
• fatigue
• nausea
• vomiting
• back pain
• itching
• fever

Diagnosis

An early liver cancer diagnosis drastically improves the chances of survival.

A doctor will, first of all, ask questions about medical history to rule out any potential risk factors for liver cancer. They will then give a physical examination, focusing on any swelling in the abdomen and any yellow coloring in the whites of the eyes. These are both strong indicators of liver problems.

Following these signs, if a doctor suspects a liver cancer diagnosis, they will run further tests, including:

Blood tests

Tests for viral hepatitis

Imaging scans: Either an MRI or CT scan can show the size and spread of the cancer.

Biopsy: A small sample of tumor tissue is removed and analyzed. The analysis can reveal whether the tumor is cancerous or non-cancerous.

Laparoscopy

Treatment

For people who have early-stage liver cancer that can be treated, only surgery that removes the tumors completely will lead to a chance of recovery.

Surgical options include the following:

Partial hepatectomy

When the tumor is small and occupies a small part of the liver, that part of the liver can be surgically removed.

Treatment for incurable tumors

Advanced liver cancer, on the other hand, has an extremely low survival rate. However, there are steps a medical team can take to treat cancer symptoms and slow the growth of the tumor.

Ablative therapy: Alcohol, lasers and radio waves can be used.

Radiation therapy: Radiation is directed at the tumor or tumors, killing a significant number of them.

Chemotherapy: Medications are injected to kill cancer cells..

Stage 4 liver cancer

Stage IV liver cancer is the most advanced form of the disease. In stage 4, the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes and may have grown into nearby blood vessels or organs. Advanced liver cancer does not often metastasize (or travel to distant organs), but when it does, it is most likely to spread to the lungs and bones.

You should know that treatment for pain is part of cancer treatment. It is important to resist the big myth that because cancer is a serious disease, pain is to be expected. Most people can get complete relief for their pain — or at least significant relief that allows them to enjoy the activities of daily life.

What is advanced or metastatic Liver cancer

Advanced liver cancer includes stage 3 and stage 4 and terminal cancer. Stage 3 includes when cancer spreads to other tissues in and around the ovary and / or lymph nodes. Stage 4 includes metastasis.

Metastasis happens when cancer cells break away from a primary tumor and enter the bloodstream or lymphatic system (the system that produces stores and carries the cells that fight infections). When cancer cells spread and form a new tumour in a different organ, the new tumor is a metastatic tumor, the cells of which come from the original tumor. The most common sites of metastasis from liver cancer tumors are the lungs, bones and brain. Cancer can spread to other parts of the body, too.

Some people with metastatic cancer do not have symptoms. Their metastases may be found by tests, which may be performed for other reasons such as PET, MRI or CT scan. When symptoms do occur, the type and frequency depend on the size and location of the metastasis. For example, cancer that spreads to the bones is likely to cause pain and can lead to bone fractures. Shortness of breath may be a sign of lung involvement.

Lungs metastasis

Because the lungs get blood flow from the rest of the body, cancer can travel there from other organs. Cancer that has spread to the lungs often affects breathing.

Symptoms include:

• A cough that doesn’t go away
• Chest pain
• Blood in the mucus
• Trouble breathing
• Weight loss

Bone metastasis

When cancer travels to the bones, it can weaken them and cause them to release stored calcium. Symptoms include:

• Bone pain
• Constipation, nausea, and loss of appetite from high calcium levels in the blood
• Broken bones
• Numbness or weakness in the legs and possibly the arms
• Pain in the back or neck

Are you suffering from pain?

Any cancer has only 4 treatments. Surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and pain relief treatment / pain management.

What is the stage of cancer? Stage decides the treatment. All advanced cancers cannot be treated by chemotherapy and / or radiation therapy. Chemotherapy / radiation therapy may not benefit in stage 4 cancer. Recent research tells that unnecessary chemotherapy may reduce quality & life span too. Pain is the most common problem in stage 3 or 4. Please remember Pain definitely can be controlled or treated at any stage of cancer. Even if you are taking ayurvedic treatment for cancer or homeopathic treatment, it will not help in pain relief – You must take pain management treatment. Pain relief is important for continuing any treatment. Pain relief needs dedicated pain management treatment usually offered by Pain specialist doctors. In addition to best cancer specialist, ACCN is proud to have best pain specialist doctor in Delhi and in India. Pain management and cancer treatment goes side by side. Demand a pain free cancer treatment.

One must always remember that in stage 3 / stage 4 / terminal cancer – palliative care and pain relief treatment is usually the priority treatment so that pain relief continues at home too.  Pain free journey of cancer ie pain free cancer treatment helps in prolongation of life.

Advanced-Cancer Care Network, Delhi, India, with its branches (contact) at Delhi and Rohtak (Haryana) is a unique conglomeration of super-specialist doctors, who believe in well-being of human life.  ACCN is the most advanced centre for stage 3 cancer, stage 4 cancer, advanced stage cancer, terminal cancer, Cancer pain management and palliative care. It offers the unique and state-of-the-art treatment for pain relief and cancer treatment in India.

Click on Pain relief in Liver Cancer to know the best pain management methods at home for liver cancer.

#wincancerpain

Palliative care

Palliative care is designed to give symptomatic relief to the patient, control the side-effects of illness or treatment and improve quality of life of cancer patients. Palliative care treatment is provided by a medical specialist, other than oncosurgeon or oncologist. This medical specialist is known as “Pain & Palliative Care Specialist”. India has very limited number of such specialists and if you are also not able to find one for yourself, please contact ACCN (Advanced – Cancer Care Network), we are proud to have India”s best and most qualified Pain Specialists and Palliative Care Specialists.

Click on Understanding palliative care to know the palliative care treatment for stage 3 cancer or stage 4 cancer or advanced stage cervical cancer.

Role of Palliative Care Treatment

It is usually said that role of palliative care starts, when cancer becomes incurable or advanced stage or terminal or at end-of-life. It is one of the biggest myths in cancer treatment protocols. Palliative care specialist must be consulted and involved in the cancer treatment right from the first day when cancer is diagnosed and treatment is started. Initially when cancer is at stage 1 or 2, complete focus is on cancer cure and palliative care has minimal but very important role. As the cancer (if) progresses, gradually role of palliative care also enlarges. In stage 3 or stage 4. role of palliative care becomes much more important than other regular cancer treatments.

Click on How we can help to know about our various services for advanced cancer patients.

Click on Symptom control to understand that how we can provide suffering free life to advanced cancer patient.

Benefits of Palliative Care

• Makes patient feel better and stay active during treatment
• Manages side-effects of cancer treatment
• Facilitates as high a quality of life as possible
• Helps cancer treatments do a better job
• Can be curative as well as life-supporting treatment
• Cancer diet planning
• Improves survival outcomes
• Increases immunity levels
• Improves communication between patient and family members
• Maintains hope and stick to principals of ethics