Liver cancer is a serious condition that can affect your health and quality of life. The liver is the largest organ in your body and it performs many important functions, such as filtering toxins, producing bile, and making proteins. When cancer cells grow in the liver, they can damage these functions and cause various symptoms.
However, liver cancer symptoms may not be obvious until the disease has advanced to a later stage. Therefore, it is important to be aware of the possible signs of liver cancer and seek medical attention if you notice any of them.
In this blog, we will explain some of the common symptoms of liver cancer and what causes them.
Common Symptoms of Liver Cancer
According to the American Cancer Society, some of the common symptoms of liver cancer are:
- Weight loss without trying: This may be due to the cancer cells using up more energy than normal cells or affecting your metabolism.
- Loss of appetite or feeling very full after a small meal: This may be due to the tumor pressing on your stomach or affecting your hormones that control hunger and satiety.
- Upper abdominal pain or near the right shoulder blade: This may be due to the tumor growing larger and stretching or invading the surrounding tissues or nerves.
- Nausea and vomiting: This may be due to the tumor blocking the bile ducts or causing inflammation or infection in the liver.
- General weakness and fatigue: This may be due to the tumor affecting your blood production or causing anemia (low red blood cell count).
- Abdominal swelling or fluid build-up in the abdomen: This may be due to the tumor blocking the blood flow in the liver or causing portal hypertension (high blood pressure in the vein that carries blood from the digestive organs to the liver).
- Itching: This may be due to the tumor causing bile to build up in your skin or causing cholestasis (reduced or stopped bile flow).
- Yellow discoloration of your skin and eyes (jaundice): This may be due to the tumor causing bile to build up in your blood or causing hemolysis (breakdown of red blood cells).
- White, chalky stools: This may be due to the tumor preventing bile from reaching your intestines or causing malabsorption (poor absorption of nutrients).
These symptoms may vary depending on the type, size, location, and stage of liver cancer. Some of these symptoms may also be caused by other conditions, such as hepatitis, cirrhosis, gallstones, or pancreatitis. Therefore, it is important to consult your doctor if you experience any of these symptoms for a prolonged period of time.
Conclusion
Liver cancer is a serious disease that can affect your liver function and cause various symptoms. However, liver cancer symptoms may not be noticeable until the disease has advanced to a later stage. Therefore, it is important to be aware of the possible signs of liver cancer and seek medical attention if you notice any of them. You should consult your doctor for more information and guidance on how to cope with liver cancer.