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Liver cancer is a malignant (cancerous) tumor that forms from cells that make up the liver. Since the liver is made up of several different types of cells, multiple types of tumors can grow in the organ. Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common form of liver cancer in adults.
Liver cancer is often called a “silent disease.” Patients often do not experience symptoms until the cancer is in its later stages, so it is seldom found early. As the cancer grows, some patients may experience symptoms such as pain in the right upper abdomen through the back and shoulder, bloating, weight loss, loss of appetite, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, fever, and jaundice. Other liver diseases and health problems may also cause these symptoms, but anyone experiencing symptoms such as these should see a physician.
There are no screening tests for liver cancer, and smaller tumors are difficult to detect during physical exams. Many patients develop liver cancer after living with cirrhosis for an extended period of time.
Some diagnostic tests for liver cancer may include ultrasound, CT scan, MRI, angiography, biopsy, and/or laparoscopy.
Both the size of the tumor and whether the patient suffers from cirrhosis are factors in selecting a treatment for liver cancer. People without cirrhosis may undergo surgery to remove the tumor or may be administered treatments that destroy the tumor non-surgically, such as injecting them with alcohol or using radiofrequency ablation to heat them to high temperatures. Most doctors suggest a liver transplant if the patient has cirrhosis or if a very large tumor is present.
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