Diagnosis of Liver Cancer
If you have symptoms that suggest liver cancer, there are different types of diagnostic tests your physician may order.
Liver Cancer
Liver cancer is a cancer that forms in the liver. It is more common in men than in women. Around 42,000 Americans are diagnosed with liver cancer every year.
Liver Cancer Risk Factors
Risk factors for developing liver cancer include:
- Hepatitis B (HBV) and/or hepatitis C (HCV)
- Cirrhosis
- Alcohol comsumption
- Smoking
- Eating foods tainted with aflatoxin B1 (poison from a fungus that can grow on foods, such as grains and nuts, that have not been stored properly)
- Obesity
- Family history
Signs & Symptoms of Liver Cancer
If you experience any of the following symptoms, you should contact your physician:
- Feeling of fullness just below the rib cage on the right side, potentially indicating an enlarged liver
- Feeling of fullness just below the rib cage on the left side, potentially indicating an enlarged spleen
- Abdominal pain or swelling in the abdomen
- Pain around the right shoulder blade
- Unexplained weight loss
- Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes)
- Nausea
- Loss of appetite
Liver Cancer Staging
There are 4 different stages of liver cancer. Figuring out the stage will help your oncologist determine the type of treatment for liver cancer.
Treatment Types for Liver Cancer
Read through the types of treatments that could be used to treat liver cancer like surgery, ablation, embolization, targeted therapy, radiation therapy and chemotherapy.
