Most people in this world would not recognize liver cancer symptoms because they are so subtle. Symptoms may include losing weight without trying, loss of appetite, sporadic abdominal pain, nausea, and general weakness. All symptoms of a person who is tired or fatigued. That is why it is always good to have routine blood tests done by your doctor if you have a history in your family of liver cancer.

Liver cancer begins in the cells of your liver and is one of the most common forms of cancer in the world but surprisingly uncommon in the United States. But in the United States most liver cancer does not even begin in the liver but rather in other organs like the colon, lungs or breasts.

Cancer in liver begins when liver cells development changes in a person DNA. Once the cells mutate, they grow out of control and create a mass, or tumor in the liver or abdomen. This is when you may see enlargement of the abdomen and when you should go to a doctor immediately to seek liver cancer treatment.

The most common type of liver cancer is hepatocellular carcinoma. It starts in the hepatocytes, which is the main type of liver cell. and can occur in both children and adults. Tumor size is very important of liver cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma, there are high grade tumors and low grade tumors. High grade tumors have very poor prognosis while low grade tumors can go unnoticed for many years. High grade tumors are what researchers are using to find new treatment and cures.

Liver cancer treatment can consist of being more conscience of what is happening to your body and genetically whether you have cancer in liver in the family. Treatment of liver cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma depends on the stage of the cancer. It also depends on your age and health. The focus of drugs used to help with liver cancer is to prevent tumors in the abdomen and liver from spreading and becoming worse. There is also treatment to have surgery to remove portions of the liver, and liver transplants. Freezing the cancer cells is also a procedure injecting liquid nitrogen into the liver tumor to stop in from growing. Heating cancer cell is a procedure as well, which is used to destroy the cancer cells completely.

Other treatments include injecting alcohol into the tumor. This can be done through the skin or during an operation to dry out the cells. One of the most commonly heard of treatments is chemotherapy, which is an anti-cancer drug put straight into the liver. Radiation and targeted drug therapy are also treatments as well. Radiation uses energy to destroy cancer cells and shrink tumors, and it may have side effects including nausea and vomiting. Targeted drug therapy which interferes with a tumor’s ability to develop and grow further.

Symptoms of liver cancer may go unnoticed for a long time, so make sure you are aware of what your body is doing and check with your doctor if liver problems are hereditary. So when liver cancer symptoms are seen, go to the doctor, because there is always time for treatment.