World Cancer Day to prevent liver cell cancer

World Cancer Day: prevent liver cell cancer through regular liver function tests

01/27/2014

On the occasion of the World Cancer Day on 4 February, the German Liver Foundation warns for the regular control of liver enzymes. Every year around 50,000 people in Germany die from liver cirrhosis and around 8,000 from liver cell cancer. Timely recognition can prevent serious harm. Especially with liver inflammation (hepatitis), there are now promising therapies. Here, a distinction must be made between the acute and the chronic form.

Chronic hepatitis is when the inflammation lasts more than six months. Frequently, viruses, especially hepatitis viruses A, B and C are the cause of inflammation. Liver depletion coupled with metabolic disease and diabetes as the cause of this disease has recently become more common.

Liver rarely hurts
The tricky part is that the liver rarely hurts when it's ill and makes complete healing difficult if timely treatment is not provided. For example, liver cirrhosis can develop from a hepatitis virus infection, which in turn can lead to liver cell cancer, according to a press release from the institute. However, anyone who has their liver tests regularly tested at the family doctor can detect early on whether the values ​​are elevated and possibly liver disease is present. Symptoms such as the yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice), severe pain in the upper abdomen, vomiting and great tiredness usually occur only in very severe cases and only a fraction of the sick therefore seeks a doctor.

“When liver enzymes are regularly tested and liver diseases that could lead to liver cell cancer are detected in good time and treated in a targeted manner, there is no need to get to liver cell cancer”, says Prof. dr. Michael P. Manns, CEO of the German Liver Foundation. For years, an increase of liver cell cancer has been observed in Germany. Toxins such as alcohol and medications can put so much strain on the liver that it ignites and, if left untreated, leads to cell cancer.

Alcoholic cirrhosis and fatty liver cirrhosis are more and more involved in the development. This is also a consequence of the rising numbers of overweight adolescents. Overall, an unhealthy lifestyle, poor diet and lack of exercise can be identified as reasons for liver disease in adolescents. Increases in liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma are expected over the next few years because many patients were infected with hepatitis B or C before 1990, which has not been recognized and therefore untreated. If left untreated, chronic hepatitis may develop cirrhosis of the liver within 20 to 30 years. The German Liver Foundation offers information and advice for those affected and relatives as well as doctors and pharmacists in medical matters. Interested parties can get more detailed information on the internet. (Fr)