“How can I get liver cancer if I don’t drink or stay up late?” Ms. Zhang, who just retired, recently went to the hospital for a check-up because of her sallow complexion. The result was found to be liver cancer, which surprised Ms. Zhang’s family.

Six months ago, Ms. Zhang looked in the mirror and found that her face was slightly yellow, and her husband comforted her by saying, “I’m half old, and there are people who are more yellow than you. Here.”

At first, Ms. Zhang bought whitening products to improve her skin condition. But after a month, Ms. Zhang noticed that her face was getting more and more yellow, and even the whites of her eyes were a little yellow.

Out of concern, Ms. Zhang came to the hospital with her husband for an examination. After the examination, she was diagnosed with mid-stage liver cancer.

After understanding, I realized that Ms. Zhang is a diligent and thrifty family member.Some fruits and rice are reluctant to throw, wash or cut even if they become moldy Continue to eat the moldy areas. This habit persisted for more than ten years, eventually leading to damage to the liver organ, leading to cancer.

First, nearly half of the world’s liver cancers are in China, who is the “culprit”?

Liver cancer is the fifth most common cancer in my country and the second most fatal cancer. In 2020, my country will account for 50% of global deaths from liver cancer. What are the “culprits” that lead to the high incidence of liver cancer in my country?

Causes of liver cancer include cirrhosis, hepatitis B virus infection, hepatitis C virus infection, alcohol, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, diabetes, and long-term exposure to carcinogens such as aflatoxin , Aristolochic acid, etc.

With the popularization of hepatitis B vaccine, liver cancer data should have decreased. However, the three kinds of food that many people eat in daily life are also constantly “promoting” liver cancer.

1. Eat meat with a big mouth

It will not only make the body fat , Too much fat stored in the liver cannot be metabolized, and it will accumulate in the liver, causing fatty liver. If left unchecked, fatty liver may develop into cirrhosis and then cancer.

2, drink heavily

In the eyes of professional medical institutions, alcohol is the top of the health blacklist. According to statistics, one out of every 18 cancer cases is caused by drinking alcohol.

Although wine itself is not carcinogenic,but during metabolism, it will produce substances that are toxic to the liver, long-term accumulation can cause irreversible liver damage, which can eventually evolve into cancer.

3. Moldy food

Visible food can also be avoided, invisible more terrifying. Aflatoxin, also known as liver cancer toxin, exists in moldy food and can reduce nitrite in food to N-nitroso compounds with powerful carcinogenic potential.Just need 10 micrograms is enough to cause cancer.

Some mildew spots that are visible to the naked eye are only a part of Aspergillus flavus, The toxins produced have already spread to all parts of the food, even if the moldy part is removed, the internal toxins cannot be completely removed.

Just like Ms. Zhang in the case, it was precisely because she was reluctant to throw away moldy food that she eventually became cancerous due to toxin infection.

Second, when liver cancer comes, don’t ignore these “warnings” that appear on the head

Because the liver is compensatory, there are no obvious symptoms in the early stage of liver cancer. But in fact, through some detailed observations, you can still find its clues.

1. Yellow face

Yellow face, yellow body… This is One of the obvious features of many liver cancer patients, according to Dr. Zhang Qiyi, Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, obstructive jaundice is a relatively common symptom of liver cancer.

Because of partial or complete mechanical obstruction of extrahepatic or intrahepatic bile ducts, bile cannot be drained smoothly, and bilirubin flows back into the blood and distributes to the skin and mucous membranes. cause yellowing.

2. Small red dots appear

There is a small red dot, also called spider mole , Press firmly on the red dot in the center of the mole, the surrounding capillaries can be seen discolored, if the pressure is removed, the color of the mole can be restored.

The main reason for the appearance of spider nevus is liver damage. When the liver is damaged by alcohol, virus, tumor and other reasons, the metabolic capacity will decrease, which will lead to the occurrence of spider nevus. .

3, dark lips

Dark mouth color, dry mouth, bad breath, bitter taste, also be vigilant, it may be the manifestation of strong anger and liver damage.

4. Bleeding from nose and gums

Repeated bleeding from nose and gums, except for blood disease, and possibly a signal of liver cancer. With impaired liver function, patients with liver disease may experience anemia and bleeding, resulting in hematemesis, melena, nasal cavity and gum bleedingand other manifestations.

5. Yellowing of the whites of the eyes

Hepatocytes are destroyed, their detoxification ability and metabolism The ability will be reduced, the bilirubin in the blood will increase, causing the whites of the eyes to turn yellow.

The above symptoms are only one of the more typical symptoms of liver cancer. In addition to these symptoms, with the tumor invasion, patients may also experience systemic symptoms such as fatigue, dizziness, low-grade fever, and Gastrointestinal symptoms such as loss of appetite, bloating, nausea and vomiting. In the advanced stage, pain in the right upper quadrant (liver area) may also appear.

Therefore, it is recommended to go to a specialist hospital for investigation when it is found that the body has unexplained discomfort and does not improve for a period of time.

3. How painful is liver cancer? You may not imagine

that liver cancer develops to an advanced stage. Cancer tumors can infiltrate and destroy normal tissues, as well as peripheral nerve roots. Due to ischemic necrosis of local tissues, various pains can be caused. . If liver cancer cells enter the bone and periosteum, it can cause bone pain; necrotic cancer tissue and blood can enter the abdominal cavity, causing severe pain.

Unfortunately, liver cancer patients in my country are generally detected late. According to statistics, the early diagnosis rate of liver cancer in my country is less than 15%, which also leads to the poor prognosis of liver cancer patients.

Early screening is an important means to detect liver cancer. For high-risk groups, what tests should be done to help detect liver cancer?

Alpha-fetoprotein: commonly used for early screening of liver cancer, age > 35 years, if AFP is found to be elevated, it must be To be alert to liver cancer, further examination.

abdominal color Doppler: It is a commonly used detection method for abdominal organs. Advantage.

CTMRI: CT examination can help determine the location, number, and size of lesions. The relationship between lesions and important blood vessels in the human body. MRI can help us find smaller liver cancers that CT and color Doppler ultrasound do not find.

In addition, daily liver disease prevention is also an important means of effective anti-cancer :

1. Do not eat moldy food

Moldy food contains Aspergillus flavus Aflatoxin is an important cause of cancer

2. Avoid long-term drinking

Acetaldehyde is highly toxic to the liver and can cause hepatitis, cirrhosis, etc. in the liver.

3. Hepatitis B vaccine

Vaccination is an important way to prevent liver cancer, and active vaccination Vaccines effectively stop the spread of the virus.

In addition, for hepatitis virus infection (hepatitis B, hepatitis C virus), long-term drinking, Severe fatty liver, family history of liver cancer, diabetes mellitus, and high-risk groups over 40 years old must be checked for regular inspections every year, early screening and early diagnosis.

Clinically, when most patients are diagnosed with liver cancer, most of them are in the advanced stage, which leads to unsatisfactory treatment and prognosis of most patients, so early screening It is very important, especially for high-risk groups.

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