Hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer) generally refers to primary liver cancer, i.e., malignant tumors that originate in the liver, including hepatocellular carcinoma, cholangiocellular carcinoma, and mixed types, of which hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common. The following description of liver cancer refers mainly to hepatocellular carcinoma.
Hepatocellular carcinoma is relatively common in China, with a high mortality rate, and early screening and diagnosis are essential to improve survival. Serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and ultrasound of the liver are the main tests used for screening.
The “3 Steps” to Liver Disease
Hepatitis, cirrhosis, and liver cancer are often referred to as the three steps of liver disease. All chronic hepatitis, such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C, alcoholic hepatitis, and autoimmune hepatitis, can progress to liver cancer.
Hepatitis B, in particular, can sometimes develop quietly into liver cancer without going through cirrhosis and without regular testing and effective treatment.
The incidence of liver cancer is higher in men over 40 years of age or women over 50 years of age who have already had liver cancer in their family than in other people. In addition, those who consume pickled, smoked, or moldy foods for a long time, and those who work under excessive pressure for a long time, stay up late often, or are depressed for a long time are all at high risk for liver cancer.
High-risk groups for liver cancer tend to be younger
Modern young people are under a lot of pressure, and their irregular habits such as drinking and socializing have increased their chances of developing liver cancer. Because young people have strong cellular activity, once they develop liver cancer, the cancer cells will grow rapidly and the malignancy of liver cancer will be higher than in older people.
Symptoms of early liver cancer are often overlooked as “minor” because they are not specific, or because they are simply a feeling of weakness or fatigue. The first time the company was founded, the company was able to provide a new product to the market.
Prevention of liver cancer
To prevent the development of liver cancer, the most important thing is to actively treat the primary disease. Chronic hepatitis B and chronic hepatitis C require timely antiviral treatment.
Second, screening should also be done with regular fetoprotein and ultrasound tests, and screening every 6 months is recommended for people at high risk for hepatitis B virus (HBV) and/or hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, alcoholism, co-morbid diabetes, and a family history of liver cancer. Other non-high-risk groups should be screened once a year.
In addition, one should adopt a healthy lifestyle, pay attention to the regularity of diet and rest, do not abuse alcohol, and do not eat pickled and moldy foods. Moldy foods contain aflatoxin, a strong chemical carcinogen for the liver. Ensure that there is sufficient nutritional intake, eat less and more meals, pay attention to the food mix, diversify the diet to achieve the full range of colors, aromas and flavors to help increase appetite.
What do you need to pay attention to in your diet when you have liver cancer?
What do you need to know about your diet when you have liver cancer?
Hepatocellular carcinoma patients have difficulty in digesting and absorbing fat, and a high-fat diet will affect and aggravate the disease. Therefore, they should not eat fatty foods, such as fatty meat, fried foods, dried fruits, sausages, etc.
A low-fat diet not only reduces digestive symptoms (such as nausea, vomiting, bloating, etc.), but also reduces the degree of pain in the liver area.