Liver cancer

Liver cancer can be of two types: primary (starting in the organ itself) and secondary or metastatic (originating in another organ). This is most often due to a malignant tumor in the large intestine or rectum.

Among liver-initiated tumors, the most common is hepatocellular carcinoma or hepatocellular carcinoma. There are also cholangiocarcinoma (originated in the bile ducts of the liver), angiosarcoma (rare cancer that originates in the blood vessels of the liver) and hepatoblastoma, a rare malignant tumor that affects newborns and children in the first years of life.

INFORMAÇÕES DO AUTOR:

Dr. Marcel Autran Machado Especialista em cirurgia do aparelho digestivo e cirurgia minimamente invasiva

Professor livre-docente de Cirurgia pela Universidade de São Paulo, graduado pela Faculdade de Medicina da USP (FMUSP) e com residência em Cirurgia Geral e do Aparelho Digestivo pela mesma instituição.
CRM-SP nº 70330

Câncer do fígado

The most common symptoms of liver cancer are: abdominal pain, abdominal mass, bloating, unexplained weight loss, loss of appetite, malaise, jaundice and ascites (accumulation of fluid in the abdomen).

The main ways to prevent primary liver tumors are:

  • Avoid infection by hepatitis B and C viruses;
  • Prevent metabolic diseases such as steatosis (accumulation of fat in the liver) and diabetes;
  • Avoid alcohol consumption;
  • Do not use anabolic steroids;
  • Avoid pre-malignant lesions, such as liver adenomas, which may be related to the use of oral contraceptives;
  • Maintain proper body weight;
  • Do not consume food contaminated by aflatoxin, a substance produced by two types of fungi (mold) found in grains and some vegetables, such as peanuts, corn and cassava, when stored in inadequate conditions;
  • Do not smoke and avoid passive smoking.

To confirm the diagnosis of liver cancer, the professional may order some tests, such as:

  • Computed tomography: exam that produces images as if it were a “cut” of the body and serves to discover and locate tumors;
  • Nuclear Magnetic Resonance: this test can define the tumor extension a little better in patients with liver cirrhosis;
  • Laparoscopy: allows direct visualization of the organ and biopsy (removal of a small amount of tissue for laboratory analysis that will determine whether the tumor is malignant or not). This exam is even more effective when combined with laparoscopic ultrasound.

Câncer do fígado

Treatment for liver cancer is through its surgical removal (resection), which is most indicated when the tumor is restricted to a part of the liver (primary tumor) and also in metastatic liver tumors in which the primary lesion was resected or is liable to be resected in a curative way.

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