Liver cancer

Primary liver cancer belongs to the most frequent diagnosed cancers. Death-rate is quite high as it is usually only diagnosed at an advanced stage and chances of a full recovery are therefore low. Three years of absent treatment leaves the patient with a survival rate of 28%. Primary liver cancer afflicts three over two more men than woman. A prospect of recovery can only go hand in hand with an early treatment and an otherwise healthy liver.

Primary liver cancer is a liver cancer deriving from degenerated liver cells and not from metastases, or so called secondary tumour. (Cancer cells that stem from the primary tumour and then wander to other organs or parts of the body).

The emergence of cancer is always a result of degenerated cells. Due to a change of the genome information inside the cell, the cell begins to divide and multiply (degeneration) accumulating to a large cluster of cells, pushing away healthy cells and destroying them in the course.

The cause of primary liver cancer

In the Western world primary liver cancer usually develops on the basis of cirrhosis of the liver. The risk lies here at 5%. Cirrhosis of the liver replaces healthy tissue with connective tissue, damaging the liver irreversible. Cirrhosis of the liver can be caused by alcohol abuse, chronic infections such as hepatitis B or C. But also inheritable factors can cause cirrhosis of the liver. This hereditary disease is called Haemochromatosis. Haemochromatosis is metabolic disease causing the digestion tract to absorb too much iron, which then settles in the liver hence damaging it.

But not only is a damaged liver prone to liver cancer. Though quite exceptional in Europe; in other parts of the world a healthy liver can also develop liver cancer primarily caused by the poison aflatoxin. Aflatoxin is a toxic produced by fungus and is carcinogenic (cancer causing substance). Set out to this poison for a longer duration the risk of liver cancer highly increases. Therefore aflatoxin in foods may not exceed the permitted amount.

Summarisation of factors which are known to increase the risk of primary liver cancer

Liver cirrhosis: In the Western world, most people who develop hepatoma (primary liver cancer) usually also have a condition called cirrhosis of the liver. This is a fine scarring throughout the liver which is due to a variety of causes including infection and heavy alcohol drinking over a long period of time. However, only a small proportion of people who have cirrhosis of the liver develop primary liver cancer.

Infection: Infection with either the hepatitis B or hepatitis C virus can lead to liver cancer. This can also be the cause of cirrhosis, which in turn increases the risk of developing hepatoma. The risk is greater in those that also smoke.

Inherited conditions: People who have a rare condition called haemochromatosis (causing the deposit of an excess of iron in the body), or the condition alpha 1 antitrypsin deficiency, have a higher chance of developing hepatoma.

Aflatoxin: In Africa and Asia a poison called aflatoxin, found in moldy peanuts and grain, is a major cause of hepatoma.

Age In the Western world, primary cancer of the liver usually occurs in middle-aged and elderly people, although rarely it can also affect children and young adults. In Africa and Asia it often occurs in young adults.