1.Is the incidence rate of liver cancer high? Primary liver cancer is one of the common malignant tumors in China, and its incidence rate has been increasing in recent years. In China, the median age of liver cancer patients is 40-50 years old, and men are more common than women. 1995 statistics from the Ministry of Health show that the annual mortality rate of liver cancer in China is the second highest among tumor mortality rates. 2.What are the factors that predispose to liver cancer? The main factors of liver cancer in China are hepatitis virus infection (including hepatitis B and C), aflatoxin contamination of food (such as moldy corn and peanuts), long-term alcohol abuse and blue-green algae toxin contamination of rural drinking water. 3.Why are many liver cancers found to be advanced? Most tumors are asymptomatic in early stage, which is a very important reason why many tumors cannot be detected in early stage. Due to insidious onset, no symptoms in early stage and rapid progress after detection, most patients have reached advanced stage or distant metastasis when diagnosed, so the prognosis is very poor and natural survival time is very short. 4.What are the common symptoms of liver cancer? There are no specific typical symptoms of liver cancer, and the symptoms appearing in the middle and late stages are easily confused with other diseases and often misdiagnosed as “stomach disease”. Common symptoms include pain in the right upper abdomen, weakness, emaciation, loss of appetite, abdominal distension, etc. Some patients may have nausea, vomiting, fever, diarrhea, etc. In advanced stage, anemia, xanthogranuloma, ascites, swelling of lower limbs, subcutaneous bleeding and cachexia, etc. 5.How can liver cancer be detected? The most important examinations for diagnosing liver cancer are: methotrexate, ultrasound, CT examination and magnetic resonance imaging, among which the diagnostic rate of ultrasound examination can reach about 90%, and an experienced ultrasonographer can detect tiny cancer foci of about 1.0cm in diameter. 6.What treatment methods are available for liver cancer? Surgical resection is still the first and most effective treatment for liver cancer. The survival rate is 30%-40% 5 years after hepatectomy, and the survival rate is about 90% for micro liver cancer and 75% for small liver cancer. It is impossible to achieve such treatment effect by any other methods. However, most patients with hepatocellular carcinoma are already in the middle and late stages when they are found, and often lose the opportunity of surgery; therefore, non-surgical treatments are needed to improve the quality of survival and prolong the survival period. These methods include: hepatic artery embolization chemotherapy, which is the most commonly used method. In addition, radiofrequency ablation, microwave ablation, cryotherapy, high power ultrasound focused ablation and anhydrous ethanol injection therapy can also be used. 7.Is there any traditional Chinese medicine for treating liver cancer? Traditional Chinese medicine is the characteristic of China. Traditional Chinese medicine can help reduce the toxicity of radiotherapy and chemotherapy for liver cancer, improve cancer-related symptoms and quality of life, have certain efficacy and can prolong the survival period, which is an important auxiliary means of liver cancer treatment. 8.Is it good to use the partial prescriptions for liver cancer treatment? There are many partial and secret prescriptions claiming to be able to cure liver cancer. Due to the excessive superstition of Chinese medicine in China, these partial and secret prescriptions are also very marketable among patients, but it is proved that these partial prescriptions are ineffective, and many so-called partial prescriptions for liver cancer on the Internet are even deceptive. 9.How to detect liver cancer at an early stage? For liver cancer, early detection is crucial for effective treatment and long-term survival, therefore, early screening and early monitoring of liver cancer are highly emphasized. For men ≥ 40 years old or women ≥ 50 years old with a history of hepatitis, alcoholism and family history of liver cancer, it is best to conduct screening every 6 months. Screening indicators mainly include methemoglobin and liver ultrasound. The earlier the detection, the better the treatment effect.