Things to know about Liver Cancer- Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment

There are various reasons for having liver cancer. Cancer is basically a condition in which the cells grow rapidly without any control. They can grow anywhere in the body. In the case of liver cancer, the cells become cancerous in the liver and grow rapidly. The problem occurs when the cancerous cell makes the surrounding normal cells also cancerous. When this happens cancer spreads in the organ at a faster rate and it can spread to other organs of the body as well.  In such conditions, it becomes life-threatening therefore, it is important to visit a doctor when there are any signs and symptoms.

Types of Liver Cancer

Cancer that begins in the Liver is called Primary Liver Cancer. There are several forms of Cancer some of them include:

• Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC)
• Hepatoblastoma
• Benign Liver Tumor
• Hemangioma
• Hepatic adenoma
• Angiosarcoma

• Abdominal swelling
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea
• Dizziness
• Fever
• Fatigue and weakness
• Yellowish color eyes
• Blood in vomiting
• Dark-colored urine
• Indigestion

Diagnosis:

There are certain tests and diagnostics that help in the proper diagnosis of liver cancer. The doctors generally ask for the medical history of the patient and family history if any. Some of the diagnostic tests include:

Blood Tests and liver function tests help to determine the protein level and functioning of enzymes.  The presence of alpha-fetoproteins confirms signs of liver cancer.

Abdominal Ultrasound, CT scan, and MRI Scan give clearer and detailed images of the liver that helps to understand the doctor about the intensity of the damage.

Angiogram is another test in which a dye is injected into the artery to see the liver and signs of any tumor or cancerous cells.

Laparoscopy is also used to diagnose the condition of the liver from inside. In this, the doctor uses a laparoscope that has a small camera attached to its one end that captures the live condition of the organ.

A liver biopsy is another diagnostic test done to find out the condition of the liver. In this, tissues are removed from the liver which is then studied in a laboratory to find out if the tumor is benign or malignant. Liver cancer specialist in Jaipur performs all the necessary tests required to know the accurate condition of the liver so as to provide the best treatment option possible. The treatment usually depends upon the condition of the patient.

Treatment:

Prognosis or chances of recovery depends upon the condition of the patient and the type of treatment method used by the doctor. There are several methods to treat liver cancer, some of them include

• Chemotherapy:  Chemotherapy is an advanced procedure that is used on patients with cancer patients with no other option left. In this, the patient is injected with chemicals or drugs intravenously. Though chemotherapy helps a lot of patients, it has some side effects as well such as vomiting, hair loss, loss of appetite, chills, weakness, etc
• Radiation Therapy: It uses high-energy beams of energy that are directed to the cancerous region. It kills the cancerous cell with its radiation. The radiation destroys the blood cells that stop the nutrition and oxygen that is supplied which ultimately kills the cancerous cells.
• Ablation Therapy: In this procedure, the tumor is destroyed inside the body by using techniques such as cryoablation, microwave ablation ethanol ablation, etc.
• Partial Hepatectomy: In this, a part of the liver is removed that has cancerous cells. The surrounding tissues are also removed to reduce the possibility of liver cancer in the future.
• Liver Transplant: A liver transplant is a quite rare option that is used in severe cases where no other option is left. The chances of having cancer become negligible as the entire liver is transplanted. This procedure is costly and takes a lot of time to get the appropriate donor. Further, it is very important for the body to accept the new liver for proper functioning.

Bhagwan Mahaveer cancer hospital and research center is one of the best cancer hospital in Jaipur. We have a team of specialized Oncologists and experts that are always available in case of any emergency or query.