Ms. Kong, 36, has been diagnosed with hepatitis B for five years, and hepatitis B has not affected Ms. Kong, so she never takes the matter to heart. Just last year, Ms. Kong planned to go home to train her daughter because her daughter was in elementary school, so she set up a courier store in her hometown.
Since I have never been in contact with it, it is still difficult to manage. At the beginning of the practice, Ms. Kong stayed up late almost every day, and Ms. Kong bought some barbecue every day after work to satisfy her hunger. Although the back is not as difficult as before, because Ms. Kong is managing it alone, she has been in a state of fatigue for a long time.
Two weeks ago, when Ms. Kong brushed her teeth, she noticed that her gums were bleeding, and at first he thought that he was too angry, so he prescribed some medicine to reduce the fire and take it himself. However, the bleeding gums did not get better, but worsened. The more Ms. Kong thought about it, the more she felt that something was wrong, so she decided to go to the hospital's dental department for a check-up.
After arriving at the hospital, the dentist inquired about Ms. Kong's condition in detail, and then gave Ms. Kong a comprehensive examination of her mouth, but found no major problems with her gums. However, the doctor noticed that Ms. Kong's eyelids were yellowing, and the doctor thought that Ms. Kong had a history of hepatitis B and long-term irregular work and diet, which was likely to be liver cancer. After explaining to Ms. Kong in detail, she was advised to go to the oncology department for a check-up.
Ms. Kong went to the oncology department with apprehension, and the doctor prescribed him a blood test, a complete set of biochemistry and a CT scan of the abdomen according to his condition. After the results came out, the complete set of biochemistry showed that alanine aminotransferase was 102 U/L, aspartate aminotransferase was 90 U/L, total bilirubin was 30umol/L, and the tumor index was 700 ng/ml.
In order to further confirm the diagnosis, the doctor obtained Ms. Kong's consent and did a tissue case examination, and Ms. Kong was finally diagnosed with advanced liver cancer.
With the comfort of the medical staff, Ms. Kong finally called her family and told her family the bad news. Ms. Kong was persuaded by her family to be hospitalized.
Once liver cancer is discovered, it is in an advanced state, just like Ms. Kong, many patients with hepatitis B always feel that it does not affect their normal life, so they do not pay attention to it, and when they have mild symptoms, they are always confused with other conditions. Once the symptoms become severe, things are irreversible. In fact, when liver cancer comes, there will be some "signs" in our head that keep signaling to us.
1. What are the 3 "signs" that may appear in the head when liver cancer is coming?
Liver cancer is not formed in a day or two, it is the result of our accumulation of damage to the body over time, when liver cancer comes, when liver cancer comes, there will be some head symptoms around us, especially the following 3 "signs" may appear.
1. The face and the whites of the eyes are yellow
Liver cancer is a malignant tumour that usually originates in the liver cells within the liver. The main cause of yellowing of the face and whites of the eyes caused by liver cancer is jaundice. Jaundice is a common symptom of impaired liver function or obstruction of the biliary tract. The growth of liver cancer can cause obstruction of the biliary tract, hinder the excretion of bile, so that bilirubin cannot be excreted from the body normally, and thus accumulate in the skin and whites of the eyes, resulting in jaundice.
In addition, liver cancer directly invades liver tissue and disrupts liver function, resulting in obstruction of bilirubin metabolism and excretion, which can also lead to the appearance of jaundice. As the condition progresses, liver function may gradually decline and it may not be able to effectively metabolize waste products in the body, including bilirubin, further aggravating the degree of jaundice. Thus, yellowing of the face and whites of the eyes is typical of jaundice, but prompt medical attention is required to identify the cause and receive appropriate treatment [1].
2. Liver spots appear on the face
One of the main causes of liver spots in the face caused by liver cancer is impaired liver function. The liver plays an important role in metabolism and detoxification in the human body. When liver cancer occurs, tumor cells destroy normal liver tissue, affecting the normal function of the liver, resulting in the accumulation of metabolites and toxins in the body.
Among them, bilirubin is an important metabolite, when liver function is impaired, the liver may not be able to excrete bilirubin normally, resulting in obvious jaundice symptoms in the body, and may also cause the appearance of liver spots on the face.
Decreased liver function can also affect the body's metabolism of nutrients, which can lead to malnutrition, which in turn is associated with the formation of liver spots on the face. It is important to emphasize that facial liver spots are not a specific symptom of liver cancer, so if you have this symptom on your face, you should seek medical attention immediately for proper diagnosis and treatment.
3. Bleeding from the nose and gums
The liver plays a very important role in blood clotting. When the liver is affected by cancer, its ability to synthesize clotting factors may be affected, resulting in weakened blood clotting function. This will lead to the blockage of prothrombin conversion in the body, prolonged blood clotting time, reduced blood clotting function, and easy nasal and gum bleeding.
In addition to this, liver cancer may cause liver dysfunction and lead to dilation of blood vessels, which increases the pressure in the blood vessels, making them fragile and prone to rupture and bleeding. This phenomenon is particularly prevalent in the small blood vessels in the nasal cavity and gums [2].
The above symptoms are very common in liver cancer patients, because these symptoms are also very easy to appear in our lives, so many people cannot be screened.
However, if you have a sudden onset of this symptom and it lasts for a long time, it must be taken seriously, especially for people with liver disease, it is important to go to the hospital for a check-up as soon as possible to avoid missing the best time for treatment. At the same time, for healthy people without liver disease, understanding the factors of high incidence of liver cancer plays an important role in the prevention of liver cancer.
2. What are the factors that lead to the high incidence of liver cancer?
No part of our body can go wrong for no reason, and the same is true for liver cancer. For liver cancer, the following factors that lead to the occurrence of liver cancer must be avoided, and those that cannot be avoided can be checked regularly to prevent the development of the disease.
1) Chronic hepatitis
Chronic hepatitis is usually caused by long-term infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV). These viruses continue to multiply within the liver, causing ongoing inflammation and damage to liver cells. Long-term inflammation and damage recurrence promote the abnormal regeneration of liver cells, which may lead to gene mutations, thereby increasing the risk of liver cancer.
Secondly, chronic hepatitis can also cause fibrosis and cirrhosis of liver tissue, which can affect the normal function of the liver and increase the risk of liver cancer. Imbalance in immune regulation may also be a factor, chronic hepatitis can make the liver's immune system unbalanced, reducing the body's anti-tumor immunity, thereby increasing the likelihood of liver cancer. Therefore, to prevent the occurrence of liver cancer, it is necessary to strengthen the management and treatment of chronic hepatitis, including the treatment of hepatitis virus, the active prevention of the development of liver cirrhosis, and the maintenance of liver health.
2) Long-term alcohol abuse
Alcohol and its metabolites cause direct damage to the liver, leading to liver cell damage and inflammatory responses, creating conditions for the occurrence of liver cancer. Excessive alcohol intake can also cause excessive accumulation of fat in the liver, which eventually leads to fatty liver and cirrhosis, which further increases the risk of liver cancer.
To complicate matters further, alcoholics often suffer from vitamin deficiencies, especially vitamin A, vitamin B and folic acid, which may affect the metabolism and normal function of the liver, further increasing the risk of liver cancer.
Long-term alcohol abuse can also weaken the function of the immune system, leading to a decrease in the body's ability to eliminate and monitor tumor cells, and increasing the likelihood of liver cancer. Therefore, it is particularly important to limit alcohol intake and follow a healthy lifestyle to reduce the risk of liver cancer [3].
3) Long-term consumption of pickled mold products
Such foods may be contaminated with mould during the production process, which can produce carcinogens such as aflatoxin, nitrite and nitrosamidite. These carcinogens are metabolized in the body by the liver and may cause damage to the liver and trigger an inflammatory response, ultimately increasing the likelihood of liver cancer.
What's more, the processing of pickled mold products is often accompanied by frying operations, which may lead to the production of carcinogens such as nitrosamines from amino acid and nitrogen compounds, further increasing the risk of liver cancer. Therefore, a reasonable diet and avoiding excessive consumption of foods containing carcinogens are essential for the prevention of liver cancer.
It is worth noting that there are more than the above three risk factors that can cause liver cancer. As the main "detoxification" organ of the body, the liver is a risk factor for liver cancer caused by long-term consumption of junk food, irregular life and rest, and stress. Therefore, early screening is particularly important for the prognosis of liver cancer to detect and intervene in time.
3. What are the early screenings for liver cancer?
Ultrasonography is a non-invasive test commonly used for early screening of liver cancer. During the test, the doctor places a probe in the patient's abdomen, uses high-frequency sound waves to penetrate the skin, and then reflects back to form an image that shows the structure and abnormalities of the liver.
Ultrasonography can detect tumors in the liver, helping doctors detect smaller lumps and determine their location and size. In addition, ultrasonography can be used to distinguish cysts in the liver from parenchymal tumors, helping to make an accurate diagnosis.
CT (computed tomography) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are more accurate than ultrasonography. CT uses X-rays to take cross-sectional images of the liver, which can clearly show the location and size of the tumour and the surrounding tissue.
Compared to CT, MRI uses a magnetic field and harmless radio waves to produce images, providing clearer soft-tissue contrast and is safer for some patients because it does not use X-rays.
CT and MRI are important methods for early screening of liver cancer, and the combination of these two tests often provides more comprehensive information to help inform diagnosis and treatment planning.
In addition to the above two, blood tests are also an important means of early screening for liver cancer. By analyzing a blood sample, doctors can assess liver function and detect some markers associated with liver cancer.
Levels of enzymes such as alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) can assess the liver's working status. Abnormalities suggest problems such as hepatitis, cirrhosis, or liver cancer
Serum measures such as total protein, albumin, and total bilirubin are also commonly measured to assess liver function. Tests for markers such as hepatitis B virus (HBV) surface antigen (HBsAg) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies can assess whether a patient is infected with these viruses and can cause liver cancer.
In addition, testing alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels is also commonly used to screen for liver cancer, as it is a marker for liver cancer. By comprehensively evaluating the results of these blood tests, doctors can detect liver cancer or related liver diseases earlier, providing important information for early intervention and treatment.
Ms. Kong's negligence eventually led to advanced liver cancer. We must take caution, especially for patients with underlying viruses like Ms. Kong, and we must do a good job of screening and prevention, but don't wait until the end to regret it.
bibliography
[1] Wang Anran. Effect of Enzyme-linked Immunoassay (ELISA) and Colloidal Gold Method in Detecting Anti-HCV-specific Antibodies[J]. Medical Equipment, 2020,33(06): 46-47.
[2] Qiang Rui, Wang Yanhong, Wu Qingjuan, et al. Discussion on the treatment of primary liver cancer by hawthorn based on the theory of "seeking the same qi"[J]. Journal of Yunnan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2020,43(06): 26-31.
[3] Liao Wenjing. Prevention of liver cancer[N]. Gansu Science and Technology News.
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