Alcohol aggravates liver cancer

The liver which is divided into four parts weighs nearly 1.5 kg is subjected to inflammation due to poisonous matters, polluted water, food, alcohol, smoking, Hepatitis B and C viruses. The possibility of infection from mother to child is more due to blood transplantation and unsafe sex. There are three doses of vaccine available to prevent Hepatitis ‘B ’virus infection. But there is no vaccine for Hepatitis ‘C’ and also there is no use of this vaccine for Hepatitis ‘B’ positive people. One should undergo relevant tests before taking this vaccine and if there is ‘negative’ it can be taken at any age. It is extremely useful to get children vaccinated as per their vaccine schedule. If symptoms like poor appetite, nausea, jaundice, fever, arthritis are noticed, instead of going for traditional household treatments like self medication, approaching quacks, it is better to take necessary treatment after knowing the actual reason.

Although there are diseases like liver infection, fatty liver,Wilson disease, Gilbert syndrome related to liver, only the infections that are caused by B and C virus generally damage liver, cause cirrhosis after many years which may lead to cancer mostly.

Since Asian countries have high incidence of Hepatitis B infections, liver cancers are also more prevalent. There are two types of liver cancers namely, hepatocellular carcinoma, (starts in liver), Metastatic liver cancer (spreading to liver from other parts affected by cancer).

Be it cancers of the digestive system, breast cancers, and bone cancers, they are likely to spread to liver. The belated noticing of liver cancers is most dangerous.

After stomach and lung cancers, liver cancers are more prevalent. This cancer that is seen more in men spreads quickly and does not respond to treatment if alcohol is accompanied by Hepatitis B positive.

Symptoms like stomach ache, weight loss, jaundice, water in abdomen, vomiting, nausea, anorexia problems are prominent when liver cancer is in advanced stage.

Treatment, longevity depends upon the size and location of the tumour in liver. The feature of growth of this cancer differs from person to person. The tumour may get doubled within one month in some people and may take even a year in others. Even if it is noticed, when the tumour is small in size, surgery may not be possible since many are subjected to cirrhosis. It can be treated in many ways to either remove or reduce the size of the tumour with chemotherapy, medication, trans arterial chemo embolisation, (TACE) Radio oblation, proton beem therapy, biotherapy, cryoablation sterio tactor radio surgery etc.

Liver transplantation that is prone to liver failure yields good results if the size of the tumour is big, and if there are many tumours.

There are many treatment methods that can be given to the patient until he finds a donor. Since Hepatitis B virus is the main cause for this cancer, it is advisable to get all the new born babies vaccinated; thereby it can be prevented to a maximum extent.

It is better to adhere to healthy lifestyle, and to undergo screening tests concerned with liver if treatments are taken for other cancers any time before. It is also better to undergo tests before plan of pregnancy. If this virus is noticed in pregnancy, it is advisable to get the baby Hepatitis Immunoglobulin (HBIG) done within 12 hours of birth.