| Hepatocellular carcinoma or primary liver cancer or is | | | | the skin and eyes. |
| a type of cancer that begins in the liver cells. The | | | | These symptoms can be nonspecific. Meaning they |
| liver is the largest organ of the body - weighs at | | | | do not exactly identify liver cancer. But, they do alert |
| about 3 pounds or 1.36 kilogram. It is composed of | | | | your physician that your liver may have to be |
| several cell types such as bile ducts, fat-storing cells, | | | | evaluated. |
| and blood vessels. Liver tissue is composed of 80 | | | | Risk Factors |
| percent of liver cells (or hepatocytes). Hence, the | | | | Both children and adults can be affected by liver |
| greater part of hepatocellular carcinoma happens | | | | cancer; however it occurs mostly in adults. A risk |
| from liver. | | | | factor is anything that influences the possibility of |
| When a cancer originated from other organs (breast, | | | | you getting a disease. But this doesn't tell us |
| pancreas, lung, stomach or colon) and has spread to | | | | everything. Having a risk factor, or a number of risk |
| the liver, it is called secondary liver cancer or | | | | factors, doesn't indicate you will get the disease. |
| metastatic liver disease. Often, patients or physicians | | | | Here are some of the risk factors identified by |
| refer this as also liver cancer. So, the name liver | | | | experts. |
| cancer can either refer to primary or secondary liver | | | | Gender |
| cancer. | | | | This type of cancer is more common to males than |
| This type of cancer is one of the most common | | | | females. |
| types of cancer. It is a lethal cancer that will kill | | | | Ethnicity or Race |
| majority of diagnosed patients within a year. Nearly | | | | Pacific Islanders and Asians have the highest cases of |
| three quarters of liver cancer cases are in China, | | | | hepatocellular carcinoma than other races. |
| Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, and Korea. It is also | | | | Age |
| extremely common in South Africa and Mozambique. | | | | In developed countries such as United States and |
| Like most types of cancer, the symptoms begin to | | | | Europe, this mostly affects people over age 60. |
| appear as the disease progresses. Thus, it is usually | | | | However, in developing countries such as Africa (and |
| diagnosed in an advanced stage. | | | | some in Asia), it is the reverse. Younger people - age |
| Symptoms | | | | between 20 and 50 - is diagnosed with this kind of |
| There are several symptoms connected with this | | | | cancer. |
| disease. These include feeling of abdominal fullness | | | | Chronic Viral Hepatitis |
| with no clear reason, bloating, weakness, unexplained | | | | Chronic infection of hepatitis C virus or hepatitis B |
| fever, and fatigue (not relieve with rest). Another | | | | virus is the most common risk factor. In general, |
| symptom is experiencing pain and/or discomfort in | | | | hepatitis C is usually the cause of liver cancer in the |
| the upper part of the abdomen that may also | | | | United States, while hepatitis B is the common cause |
| extend into the shoulder blade area and back. One | | | | in Asia and other developing countries. |
| common symptom is anorexia, since the patient | | | | Cirrhosis |
| experiences vomiting, nausea, and loss of appetite. | | | | It is a disease that causes scar tissue to develop in |
| Jaundice may also occur to patients, which is a | | | | you liver. Most people who have this type of cancer |
| condition that causes the yellowish discoloration of | | | | already have several indication of cirrhosis. |