Symptoms are mostly intermediate and advanced liver cancer. Early diagnosis and early treatment increase the survival rate.

Text ◆ Jiang Ziliang (Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Clinical Oncology, University of Hong Kong)

The public becomes distraught when they hear about liver cancer. This is because in their understanding, many liver cancers are discovered at an advanced stage and treatment is very difficult. In addition, many celebrities such as film and television artist Ng Mang-tat and Japanese fashion design giant Issey Miyake have died of liver cancer. Increased public fear of liver cancer.

(Hong Kong News) According to data from the Hong Kong Cancer Statistics Center, a total of 1,735 people in Hong Kong were diagnosed with liver cancer in 2020, and 1,530 people died of liver cancer in the same year. The mortality rate is extremely high. To improve the survival rate of liver cancer, prevention and early detection are crucial.

Survival after surgical resection exceeds 5 years

Generally speaking, only 30% of patients with liver cancer are diagnosed at an early stage and can be cured with surgery; about 70% of patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage and are difficult to cure. If it can be surgically removed, the median survival rate of patients is more than 5 years, and there is a chance of complete cure. On the contrary, the average survival rate for patients in the middle and late stages is generally only 1 to 2 years. It can be seen that early detection of liver cancer is critical to improving patient survival rates.

Why are most liver cancer cases diagnosed in the middle and late stages?

◆Early-stage liver cancer has no symptoms until the tumor grows to a large size and destroys liver function. Patients will not notice it due to abdominal distension, abdominal pain and jaundice. However, most of them are in the middle and late stages at this time.

◆The liver has a strong regenerative ability. Even if the liver cells are damaged, as long as 30% of the liver cells are functioning normally, it can still function normally. Blood tests will also show normal liver function; therefore, patients may think that the liver function is normal and they will be confused. slack

◆The liver lacks pain-sensing nerves, so early-stage liver cancer does not easily cause pain. Pain often occurs only when the tumor develops and invades the liver capsule or surrounding organs, but this is already the middle and late stage of the cancer.

High-risk groups should undergo regular check-ups

Because patients with chronic hepatitis, early cirrhosis, and early liver cancer often have no symptoms at all, high-risk groups should have early and regular examinations and proper treatment to minimize the risk of cancer. The four major risk factors for liver cancer include:

1.Hepatitis virus

Hepatitis virus is the main cause of liver cancer. In Hong Kong, hepatitis B virus carriers are very common. One in every 8 to 10 people is a virus carrier or has been infected with hepatitis B virus. About 75% to 80% of liver cancer patients develop from chronic hepatitis B to cirrhosis and then to liver cancer. About 1 in 4 people with hepatitis B will develop cirrhosis or liver cancer.

In addition to hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C can also cause liver cancer. In Hong Kong, about 5% of liver cancer cases are related to hepatitis C. The risk of liver cancer for patients with chronic hepatitis B is about 100 times higher than that of non-carriers, and the risk of liver cancer for patients with chronic hepatitis C is about 150 times higher than that of non-carriers.

2. Fatty liver

Obesity and unhealthy lifestyle can lead to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. If fatty liver is not properly treated, it can develop into steatohepatitis, cirrhosis, or even liver cancer.

3. Moldy food

Moldy food can produce aflatoxins. According to the classification of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), aflatoxin is a Group 1 carcinogen. It is colorless, tasteless and odorless. After entering the human body, it is mainly metabolized by the liver. Long-term ingestion of large amounts will cause Increased risk of liver cancer.

4. Long-term drinking

During the process of decomposing alcohol, the liver will produce a large amount of toxins, destroy liver tissue, and slowly develop alcoholic cirrhosis and then liver cancer.

Maintain good living habits Avoid eating moldy food

Liver cancer is the fifth most common cancer in Hong Kong and the third cancer killer.

Most patients are hepatitis virus carriers, so it is not difficult to effectively prevent liver cancer.

◆Do abdominal ultrasound

Based on clinical criteria such as age and family history, higher-risk groups should consider regular clinical monitoring of alpha-fetoprotein (cancer index) and abdominal ultrasound (for example, every 6 to 12 months), so that if they unfortunately develop liver cancer, they can be diagnosed as early as possible. Discover and improve the cure rate.

In addition, patients with hepatitis B and C can consult a doctor and take antiviral drugs to inhibit or eliminate the hepatitis virus. Studies have shown that it can reduce the risk of cirrhosis, liver cancer, and death from liver diseases.

◆Check for hepatitis B antibodies

Since 1988, Hong Kong has implemented a universal hepatitis B vaccination program for children. All newborn babies will receive the first dose of hepatitis B vaccine at the hospital at birth, and then at 1 month and 6 months of age. Second and third doses of vaccine. The vast majority of healthy people can produce protective antibodies that can protect the body from hepatitis B virus infection for a long time.

If you are not sure whether you have been vaccinated against hepatitis B, it is recommended to ask your doctor for a blood test. If you have not been vaccinated, it is recommended to consider vaccination to protect the liver from viral infection.

◆Try the wine only

Drinking should be minimized and ideally abstained from alcohol altogether; men should not drink more than 2 units of alcohol and women should not drink more than 1 unit of alcohol on any given day (1 unit is approximately 1 330 ml glass of beer or 125 ml glass of wine ).

◆Good living habits

Maintain a balanced diet and eat more fresh fruits and vegetables, do more physical activity and maintain a healthy weight, and completely avoid eating moldy food.

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