Why Do Those Who Don’t Drink Alcohol Have Liver Cancer?

Liver cancer is the fifth most prevalent cancer. For years, it has been the third leading cause to death from cancer in Hong Kong. But there are still some misconceptions. Liver CancerTreatment and recovery can be affected by these factors.

Dr. Ka Wing Ma is a general surgeon and the clinical director of the Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Diagnostic and Treatment Center at Hong Kong Adventist Hospital, Tsuen Wan (Hong Kong). He said that primary liver cancer in Hong Kong and East Asia is mostly caused by chronic hepatitis B.

Hepatitis B virus was found in 90 percent of liver cancer cases

The clinical data of the HPDTC of HKAP revealed that over 90 percent of liver-cancer cases had hepatitis B in their bodies according to the HPDTC. Another risk factor for liver cancer is chronic hepatitis C. Type 2 diabetes, smoking, obesity and a family history of liver cancer. The highest-risk factor is excessive alcohol consumption.

Ma states that early clinical tumors of less than 1.5 inches (5 cm) in size are often asymptomatic. They are most commonly found during medical examinations. Aside from the fact that the liver doesn’t contain nerves that can sense pain, abdominal pain only occurs when the tumor pushes against the liver membrane.

The hepatitis B virus is a DNA virus that integrates into the body’s genome and replicates in liver cells until it fills the entire liver, which can escalate to liver cancer without the patient experiencing hepatitis or cirrhosis, conditions that cause superficial symptoms.

Why is Liver Cancer so difficult to treat?

The first-line treatment for patients with early cancers and preserved liver function was liver resection. It has a clinical cure ratio of almost 80 percent. The data from the HPDTC of HKAP shows that nearly 70% of cases of cancer can be treated surgically. Patients can resume their lives and receive postoperative treatment to speed up recovery. Postoperative treatments include the control of the hepatitis virus and the provision of immunotherapy.

If the patient is too weak, or the tumor isn’t suitable for resection radiofrequency or microwave radiation can be used to kill the cancer cells using heat. Many studies have found that if the tumor is less than 1.2 inches in size (2 to 3 centimeters), ablation can be as effective as tumor removal, but the actual method to be used depends on the individual patient’s situation.

How to Prevent and Treat Liver Cancer

Hepatitis B patients must have semi-annual checks, which include blood tests for liver function and liver cancer index. Patients with hepatitis B must be prescribed antiviral medication and have semi-annual checkups. Patients with liver cancer must continue receiving hepatitis B medication even after surgery in order to manage the disease and decrease the risk of recurrence.

People should avoid oily foods that cause severe fatty liver disease, as well as alcohol and unidentified Chinese medicines, in daily life.

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