There are
two main kinds of
liver
cancer.
Heptoma
and
cholangiocarcinoma.
Heptoma is
cancer of
the hepatocytes. (The main functioning liver cell).
Hepatoma is primary liver cancer. Hepatoma usually grows
in the liver as a ball-like tumor, invading the normal
tissue surrounding it. A history of infection with the
hepatitis B virus puts individuals at risk of developing
heptoma.
Cancer of
the bile duct cells is called cholangiocarcinoma.
Cholangiocarcinoma originates in the bile ducts and is
often caused by infestation with the liver fluke
Clonorchis (a parasite). The cancer grows along the bile
ducts in sheets or lines,and is hard to find on X-ray
studies.
Most cases of liver cancer are actually cancers that
started in another organ. This is called metastases.
Because of its very high blood flow and many biological
functions, the liver is one of the most common places for
metastases to grow. Tumors that originally arise in the
colon, pancreas, stomach,
lung or
breast can spread to the liver.
Signs and Symptoms:
Pain
in the right upper abdominal area. Pain is caused by
stretching of the liver's capsule.
Weight Loss and loss of appetite.
Breast swelling
in males
Blood clotting problems
leading to intestinal bleeding and bruises on the skin.
Jaundice
Diagnosis:
Blood Tests
Liver Biopsy
Treatment:
Treatments will vary according to the individual. Some of
the possible treatments are: surgery, liver transplantation,
chemotherapy and radiation.
Liver transplantation
is the replacement of one liver with another.
Chemotherapy
is the use of drugs to kill cancer cells. Surgery is usually not an option because
leukemia cells can spread to all the organs via the blood
stream and the lymph vessels.
Radiation therapy
is the use of x rays or other high-energy rays to
kill cancer cells and shrink tumors.
