HMC provides advice on the prevention and early detection of liver cancer

According to the latest data from the World Health Organization, there have been 53 deaths in Qatar due to liver cancer in 2017, said HMC in a statement released on Monday.
Liver cancer begins in the liver cells and may be secondary to infection by hepatitis B or hepatitis C. It is the fifth most common type of cancer in men and women. the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the world, with more than 600,000 deaths a year.
Most cancers of the liver can be prevented by vaccinating against the hepatitis B virus and by getting treatment for hepatitis C. While hepatitis B and infections at the Hepatitis C are major risk factors for liver cancer, excessive consumption of alcohol, smoking, type 2 diabetes and the use of anabolic steroids, as well as an unhealthy diet accompanied of a sedentary lifestyle, are important contributing factors to the disease.
Dr. Kakil Abdul Rasul, Senior Consultant in Oncology at the National Cancer Center and Cancer Research, said early diagnosis of liver cancer could be difficult because many signs and symptoms did not appear before his diagnosis. advanced stage, allowing rapid identification of the disease. allows more treatment options.

Dr. Kakil Abdul Rasul

"People at high risk of developing liver cancer should undergo regular medical examinations because liver cancer is much more difficult to treat if it is not diagnosed early. Surgery is usually recommended if the cancer is small, has not spread to other organs and the patient is in good health. Medical treatment of cancer uses oral or intravenous drugs that target cancer cells. Other treatments such as cryotherapy, radiofrequency ablation and radiotherapy are also available and used in some cases, "explained Dr. Rasul.
Symptoms of liver cancer include unexplained weight loss and loss of appetite, fatigue, enlarged liver (felt like a mbad under the ribs on the right side), enlarged spleen (felt like a mbad under the ribs of the left side), very full after a small meal, yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice), swelling or accumulation of fluid in the abdomen, nausea and vomiting and abdominal pain near the l? right scapula.
Ultrasound, a blood test to check for the increase in alpha-fetoprotein, CT scans and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are among the most effective methods for diagnosing cancer liver.
"The prognosis for people with liver cancer is not always positive, but treatment may delay the natural progression of this cancer. Research on new drugs is underway and hopefully will help improve the prognosis for patients with liver cancer, "added Dr. Rasul.
"By using high-quality medical equipment and treatments administered by highly qualified and experienced staff, and by working collaboratively with our health care partners, we can help reduce the number of new cases and reverse mortality related to liver cancer. . Ultimately, this will help to make a lot less people die of this disease, "concluded Dr. Rasul.