Hepatocellular carcinoma is the fourth common cause of cancer death in the World. It more common in men than in women. It also becomes more common with increasing age. There are other types of liver cancer include cholangiocarcinoma, which starts in the cells that line the bile duct, angiosarcoma (or haemangiosarcoma), which starts in the blood vessels of the liver, and hepatoblastoma which is very rare and usually affects young children.
Risk factors for Hepatocellular carcinoma:
- Cirrhosis irrespective of cause
- Hepatitis B virus
- Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis
- Family history of liver cancer
Common symptoms:
- Unexplained weight loss, with or without back pain
- Loss of appetite Swelling of your upper abdomen (tummy)
- Feeling sick (Tiredness)
- Jaundice
Diagnosis & Severity assessment:
- Liver function test
- Alfa-feto protein
- CT abdomen with triphasic study / Whole body PET scan
- Gastroscopy
- HBsAg & Anti HCV
Management:
Curative: Resection or Liver Transplantation
Palliative care or Tumour down staging techniques:
- RFA – Radiofrequency ablation
- MWA – Microwave ablation
- TACE – Trans arterial embolization
- TARE – Trans arterial radio embolization
- EBRT – External beam radiotherapy
- Immunotherapy
- Chemotherapy