Although there are many different types of liver cancer, the most common liver cancer originates from liver cells called 'Hepatocytes'.
What are the Causes of Liver Cancer?
The liver is involved in supporting immunity, digesting food. It is an organ that has many functions such as helping, neutralizing harmful substances (detoxification), storing nutrients and vitamins, and having a vital importance for human life. The aid of the liver to the digestive system is realized by the synthesis of bile. Fatty substances taken with food are broken down into smaller pieces in the presence of bile and their digestion is facilitated.
Energy production in cells occurs by the breakdown of sugar with oxygen. If the level of sugar in the bloodstream rises in the liver, it has the ability to store it in its body and store it for energy production in the future.
The liver is also the synthesis site of the substances necessary for the production of the clot formed so that the blood in it does not come out in case of any damage to the vessel surface.
When the incidence of liver cancer is examined, this primary (primary) liver cancer (meaning cancer that originates from the liver tissue) is the 5th most common cancer type in the world among all cancer types and ranks 4th in the world in cancer-related deaths.
Liver cancer can arise from cells in the liver, or it can occur after cancers in other tissues spread to the liver. The spread of cancer in another part of the body to the liver is called “liver metastasis”. Cancers that tend to spread (metastasize) to the liver include colon, breast and lung cancer.
How Liver Cancer Occurs?
Cancerization may occur as a result of various diseases of the liver. In some people, liver cancer can be detected without any liver disease.
There are many diseases that are accepted as risk factors for the formation of cancer:
- such as hepatitis B and C vi ruses cause long-term infection in liver tissue. There is a risk of developing liver cancer due to the liver damage they cause during the long course of the disease.
- Several diseases such as genetically inherited 'Wilson's Disease' and 'Hemachromatosis', which occur due to the disorder in copper and iron metabolism, cause an increase in the risk of developing liver cancer.
- Mold growing on nuts The poisonous substance called 'Aflatoxin' secreted by mushrooms can cause damage to liver cells and cause cancer.
- Irreversible damage to the liver may occur with excessive alcohol consumption and liver cancer may occur as a result of this. There is an increased risk.
What are the Symptoms of Liver Cancer?
In individuals with newly developed liver cancer, no obvious complaints may occur in the name of the first stage symptoms of liver cancer. In the course of time, symptoms usually seen in other types of cancer and various liver diseases occur:
- Involuntary weight loss,
- Decreased appetite,
- Pain in the upper abdomen,
- Pain radiating to the upper right arm and shoulder area,
- Nausea, vomiting,
- Weakness,
- Swelling of the abdomen,
- The skin and whites of the eyes are yellow, which is expressed as jaundice,
- Dark urine, almost white stools.
How is Liver Cancer Is it Diagnosed?
General laboratory tests and blood values may be requested in people who are at risk of developing liver cancer or are suspected of this disease.
Detection of albumin, a carrier molecule synthesized in the liver, bilirubin, which is the end product of blood cell metabolism, and prothrombin, which is involved in the initiation of coagulation-related processes, shows the level of functioning of the liver. Therefore, cancer It is one of the first laboratory tests that can be requested for the diagnosis of .
To determine the size of the malignant mass;
- Ultrasonography (USG),
- Computed tomography (CT),
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) methods are used.
What are the Stages of Liver Cancer?
After the spread of liver cancer is determined, its stage is determined.
- Stage 1: The malignant structure formed in liver cancer is found only in the liver.
- Stage 2: Liver cancer is accepted if there is more than one cancer tissue less than 3 centimeters in size or if it has spread to blood vessels.
- Stage 3: Liver cancer, more than 5 centimeters in size It refers to the presence of tumor tissue or the spread of the disease to surrounding tissues such as large blood vessels and lymph nodes.
- Stage 4: Liver cancer (end stage liver cancer), on the other hand, can be said to have metastasized to distant sites such as the lung, bone and other lymph nodes.
How is the Treatment of Liver Cancer?
The treatment of primary liver cancer varies depending on the stage of the disease, the age of the person, general health status and personal preferences. shows.
Although surgical interventions are the accepted method of treatment for this disease, approximately 7 out of 10 patients are not suitable for surgical procedures. Removing the cancer tissue formed in the liver and performing the transplantation (transplantation) process when necessary constitute the surgical procedures that can be applied. Early detection of cancer is at the beginning of the eligibility criteria for surgical interventions. Some regional (local) treatments may be preferred;
- Heating of cancer cells (radiofrequency ablation)
- Freezing (cryoablation)
- Alcohol injection
- Chemotherapy injection or local use of irradiated substances (radioembolization) can be given as examples of local treatments that can be applied. In this treatment method, in which high-energy rays are applied by targeting the cancer tissue, radiation is given to the cancer tissue with the help of a machine while the people lie on the treatment table.
In advanced stage cancer diseases, various abnormalities of liver cancer cells can be utilized and a method called targeted drug therapy can be applied. This treatment method is applied to people who have cancer cells with certain genetic mutations.
Cancer cells develop various features to evade the radar of the defense system. In the treatment method called immunotherapy, it is another method that can be applied for the treatment of advanced liver cancer in order to ensure that the cancer cells are detected by the cells of the defense system.What is Radioembolization with 'HOLMIUM 166' in the Treatment of Liver Cancer?
Radioembolization is the injection of very small spheres (microspheres) containing radioactive material into the cancer tissue through the vessels feeding the cancer.
It is one of the regional treatment methods. It does not have systemic effects that spread throughout the body like chemotherapy and its biggest advantage is that it does not cause side effects. Another great advantage is that it is effective in both liver cancer and liver metastasis, as it is a treatment method with radioactive material.
Radioembolization, which is a current technological treatment for liver cancers, namely Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC), Cholangiocarcinoma and Liver Metastases, prolongs the survival of patients and increases their quality of life.
One of the important advantages of radioembolization treatment is that it can re-establish the chance of surgery and transplantation in patients who cannot have surgery and/or Liver Transplantation. Thanks to this feature, the distribution in the liver can be determined as closely as possible. In addition, the use of the main radioactive particle in dose calculation contributes to the determination of the most realistic dose and to the success of the treatment. Detailed information about radioembolization can be found at. How Should Patients with Liver Cancer be Nutrition?
In the diets of these patients
- fresh vegetables and fruits,
- grains,
- skim milk and dairy products as a source of calcium,
- skim red meat
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