What Are The Risk Factors For Liver Cancer And How To Prevent It?

The liver is the biggest internal organ of our body and it plays a vital role during the entire digestion process. That is why it is important to know how to take care of your liver and prevent medical conditions such as liver cancer.

What you should know:

• What are the risk factors causing liver cancer?
• Early symptoms indicating liver cancer
• Precautionary measures to prevent liver cancer

What are the risk factors causing liver cancer?

Alcohol abuse and Hepatitis B and C infections are considered the major causes of liver cancer. A Hepatitis infection can worsen over years, or even decades, before leading to a cancerous tumour. Here are some of the major risk factors of liver cancer:

• Hepatitis B and C infection –These infections are the most common risk factors for liver cancer and it can lead to liver failure, including complications such as liver cirrhosis.
• Liver cirrhosis – It causes scarring and can lead to liver failure.
• Genetic liver disorder – Liver disorders like hemochromatosis, which causes an overload of iron in the liver, can be a cause of liver cancer.
• Type 2 diabetes – It can increase the risk of liver cancer by 2-3 times, especially Hepatocellular carcinoma.
• Alcohol and tobacco consumption – Alcohol is filtered by the liver and excessive drinking can lead to liver failure. The carcinogens in tobacco also put stress on the liver.

• Non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases – For people who don’t drink alcohol, however, have fat stored on the liver it can cause cancer too.
• Obesity – A high BMI or waist to hip ratio can lead to a higher risk of cancer as well.

It is important to take regular blood tests to understand if you are at risk for liver cancer, or any other type of cancer.

Early symptoms indicating liver cancer

Here are some common symptoms of primary liver cancer. These can be symptoms of a cancerous or non-cancerous tumour too.

• Upper abdominal pain
• Abdominal swelling
• Abdominal mass
• Fatigue
• Abdominal fluid
• Unexpected weight loss
• Nausea

Precautionary measures to reduce the risk of liver cancer

Here’s how you can take care of your liver to reduce the risk of liver cancer even if you cannot prevent it.

1. Get a hepatitis vaccine

Hepatitis B and C are among the most common causes of liver cancer. You can prevent a hepatitis B infection by getting the Hepatitis B vaccine. While there isn’t a vaccine for Hepatitis C yet, it can be treated with medication to prevent it from developing into cancer.

2. Avoid alcohol

Excess consumption of alcohol can lead to liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. It also leads to a fatty liver which is another cause of cancer. You should either avoid alcohol or limit its consumption to a bare minimum.

3. Stay physically active

People with obesity and diabetes tend to develop a fatty liver. To avoid this cancer risk, it is important to stay physically active. You should try exercising for at least 30 minutes, 5 times a week.

4. Eat liver healthy foods

Just like alcohol fatty foods also lead to a fatty liver. A liver-healthy diet includes high fibre foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. You can also eat low-fat foods like fish, olive oil, nuts, and oilseeds for a healthy liver.

You can also check out our diet tips for cancer patients during chemotherapy and radiation. For more fitness or nutrition related advice, visit Activ Living.