Liver cancer, reduce risks

The incidence of Liver Cancer or Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is increasing worldwide. It is the fifth most common cancer in the world. Most patients with HCC are diagnosed at intermediate to advanced stage and definitive surgical intervention is not feasible in these cases due to extreme tumour extension or multiplicity of tumour foci at the time of diagnosis.  

Some cases of liver cancer can't be prevented. Factors like genetics and involuntary exposure to certain chemicals are things we can't really control. However, there are some simple lifestyle changes we can make to help reduce our risk factor for liver cancer. These simple tips are:

• Quit smoking: If you are smoker, now is a good time to quit. Smoking has been linked to liver cancer in studies.
• Watch your alcohol intake: Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol and alcohol abuse leads to a disease called cirrhosis. Having cirrhosis can lead to liver cancer.
• Get the Hepatitis B Vaccine for you and your children: The hepatitis B vaccine is recommended for all children at the time of school entry. If you are an adult, take a look over your medical records to ensure you were properly immunised as a child. Hepatitis B infection is a major risk factor for liver cancer development.
• Practice safe sex: By having unprotected sex, you can contract many diseases, including hepatitis C. Being infected with hepatitis B or C is one of the major risk factors for liver cancer.
• Don't use illegal IV drugs: Contaminated needles shared by drug users can transmit hepatitis C. If you are a drug user, seek help immediately.

Recently, minimally invasive interventional radiological treatments are found to be effective in both primary tumours and metastatic tumours and are excellent alternatives to operable and non-operable liver tumours. Procedures like Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) are performed to treat liver cancer.