Here’s some good news on the cancer front — every year since 1993 there has been a percent drop in cancer deaths. For one decade (as statistics measure only to 2002) the fatality rate of cancer has been slowly but steadily improving. But, as a study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute shows, there is a bit of bad news that needs to be mentioned as well. For people with liver cancer, there have been annual increases in cancer deaths — anywhere from three percent to five percent, depending on gender and race. They don’t know exactly why this is so, but they have been able to speculate that there are more cases of hepatitis C going around, which is often a precursor to cancer of the liver.
This liver cancer trend needs to be discussed, as it doesn’t receive much attention relative to other tumors. It may begin in the cells of the liver or it may metastasize there, having spread from somewhere else. Men are twice as likely to develop these tumors, and patients are generally over the age of 60. Symptoms include some or all of the following: loss of appetite, unexplained weight loss, abdominal pain (especially in the upper right corner, sometimes traveling to the back and shoulder), fatigue, weakness, swelled-up liver, jaundice on the skin and eyes, nausea, and vomiting. Pay attention for these symptoms, as the earlier a diagnosis is made the better the outlook for survival will be.
Experts expect cases to continue rising, with the prognosis often being poor, as liver cancer is rarely discovered in its early stages. By the time a CT scan, MRI, ultrasound, or liver biopsy is performed, the only question is how big the tumor is. The best news about liver cancer, despite its backward trend, is that you can greatly reduce the risk of ever getting it by protecting yourself. Since the outlook isn’t so good once you develop this form of cancer, the focus turns, as usual, to prevention.
The most talked about preventative measure involves taking steps to shield your liver from hepatitis B and C, cirrhosis, and other illnesses. Of all the organs in your body, the liver is probably the one most taken for granted. After nights spent drinking, it’s almost a joke to say, “I gave my liver a workout last night!” But it’s anything but humorous. The liver cycles toxins out of your body and keeps the blood clean. That’s a pretty lofty role. So help your liver out by understanding what role it plays in your body and knowing what can go wrong with it.
One big preventative step you can take is limiting your alcohol intake. Booze makes any type of liver disease much worse, and it actually causes cirrhosis, which is a major factor in the development of liver cancer. If you can’t avoid alcohol (because everyone likes a drink now and then), you must at least limit your intake. This fact becomes more important as you grow older. You should also try to consciously avoid toxins that are in the air, on food, or in products such as cosmetics. Don’t ingest, inhale, or apply toxic elements to your body — they make your liver work harder than it should have to.
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