Symptoms of liver cancer often don’t show up in early stages. The symptoms may differ from one patient to another. What is more, the same symptoms may be triggered by other diseases. The common liver cancer symptoms in early stages are as follows:

• Pain on the right side of the upper abdomen or the right shoulder blade
• Bloating or ascites (Abdominal Swelling)
• Enlarged liver that may feel like a mass right under the ribs on the right side of the abdomen
• Jaundice (Yellowing of eyes and skin)

Other symptoms of liver cancer, which may appear earlier or late, include:

• Fever
• Fatigue
• Weakness
• Dark Urine
• Poor Appetite
• Pale/Cheeky Stools
• Nausea and Vomiting
• Easy Bleeding or Bruising
• Unintentional and Unexplained Weight Loss
• Feeling Full after Taking a Small Amount of Food

The above-mentioned symptoms are also caused by many benign liver diseases and functions. If any of the symptoms is related to liver cancer, these will worse over time and the patients may experience other health disorders as well. If the problems persist or recur, you should talk to the best surgical oncologist in Kolkata without any delay.

Paraneoplastic Syndromes

In some cases – though these are rare – other disorders may appear due to liver cancer, especially in the primary stages of the disease. For example, Paraneoplastic syndromes may trigger symptoms in other organs of your body. The experienced oncologists are well aware of these symptoms and it helps them diagnose liver cancer. These symptoms include:

• Hypoglycemia (Low Blood Sugar Levels)
• Hypercalcemia (High Blood Calcium Levels)
• Hypercholesterolemia (High Cholesterol Levels)
• Erythrocytosis (High Red Blood Cell Count)
• Gynecomastia (Enlargement of Breast)
• Shrinking of Testicles

Risk Factors

Some people are at a higher risk of developing liver cancer. Regular screening is highly recommended for this group as it will help diagnose the disease in early stages.

Gender

Men are at a higher risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma or liver cancer than women. The reason may be attributed to the lifestyle that affects some of the risk factors mentioned below. The fibrolamellar subtype of liver cancer is more common in women

Race/Ethnicity

Some races or ethnic groups are at a higher risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma than others. For example, Pacific Islanders and Asian Americans are at the highest risk of getting liver cancer.

Other Benign Liver Diseases

Ø  Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

• Other Benign Liver Diseases

Ø  Chronic Viral Hepatitis

Ø  Cirrhosis

Inherited Metabolic Diseases

Those with hereditary hemochromatosis absorb a greater amount of iron from their diet. The iron builds up in different parts of the body, including liver. Iron build-up in liver over time may cause cirrhosis, one of the risk factors for liver cancer.

Other Factors

• Obesity
• Type 2 Diabetes
• Tobacco Use
• Heavy Alcohol Use

Certain Rare Diseases

• Tyrosinemia
• Wilson Disease
• Porphyria Cutanea Tarda
• Glycogen storage diseases
• Alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency

Though it is not possible to prevent liver cancer, you can surely maintain some dos and don’ts to reduce the risk of developing the disease. You should also keep in mind that having one or more risk factors does not necessarily mean you will have the disease.