Liver cancer rarely causes discomfort at the beginning of its growth. The person concerned initially does not notice anything. Small asymptomatic liver tumors have so far often been found by chance during routine examinations, but in the near future they will hopefully be identified predominantly by targeted sonographic screening. The first, usually unspecific signs of liver cancer usually appear only at the advanced stage of the disease. But then it can be too late for a complete healing.

The following symptoms may occur:

Pressure pain in the upper abdomen
a palpable swelling under the right costal arch
Loss of appetite, nausea or increased temperature of unexplained cause
Weakness, reduction in performance
unwanted weight loss
Increased yellowing of the skin (jaundice) and itching
If you observe such symptoms, it does not mean that you have a tumor. All of these complaints can also have relatively harmless causes. But they can also be an indication of cancer. Therefore, clarify the cause of such complaints as quickly as possible and do not push the doctor visit in any case!

Because: The prerequisite for a successful treatment of the disease is a timely diagnosis. In early stages, liver cancer can either be removed by surgery or “overcooked” by radiofrequency ablation and the disease can be cured. Unfortunately, many people affected by the cancer at the time of diagnosis so far advanced that a cure is hardly possible. But even with advanced tumor disease, a quick diagnosis can help to increase the chance of survival and to make the remaining life span bearable and liveable.

Symptoms of liver cancer
Liver cancer (liver carcinoma) initially often causes more general, nonspecific symptoms . In early stages of the disease usually no complaints occur; therefore, the diagnosis of liver cancer is often made late. This worsens the prognosis.

Possible symptoms of liver cancer are:

Pressure pain in the right or middle upper abdomen
nausea
anorexia
Weakness, decreased efficiency
elevated temperature without apparent cause
inexplicable weight loss
palpable swelling under the right costal arch (occasionally)
The liver produces bile, which drains through the biliary tract into the digestive tract. Tumors of the liver or bile ducts can hinder this outflow. This causes the bile to accumulate. Then the typical symptoms of jaundice (jaundice) show up: The white of the eyes, and later also the skin and mucous membranes, are becoming increasingly yellow. In addition, the urine is darker than usual, the chair, however, lighter than usual. In addition, the skin may itch .

Ailments such as nausea, abdominal pain or loss of appetite can have many causes and are not necessarily an indication of liver cancer. Nevertheless, if you notice such symptoms for a long time, you should consult a doctor. He can rule out or confirm whether it is actually liver cancer.

Causes of liver cancer
The exact causes of liver cancer are unknown. An important risk factor is cirrhosis of the liver . Cirrhosis of the liver (“shrinking liver”) is a severe liver damage often caused by years of alcohol abuse . The most common form of primary liver cancer, liver cell cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma), is almost always the result of liver cirrhosis .

About 9 out of 10 patients with liver cell cancer have liver cirrhosis.

Risk Factor: Infection with hepatitis viruses
Even without liver cirrhosis, the risk of liver cell cancer is significantly increased if a person suffers from chronic, ie permanent liver inflammation ( hepatitis ) by viruses . Especially an infection with the hepatitis B virus can promote liver cancer. Anyone who has been infected with hepatitis B at birth has a higher risk of developing liver cancer during their lifetime than someone who becomes infected later.

Chronic hepatitis C infection is also a risk factor.

Risk Factor: Chronic liver inflammation due to fatty liver
Another risk factor for liver cancer is fatty liver , which can lead to chronic liver inflammation. A fatty liver can have various causes. Above all, alcohol , diabetes mellitus and severe overweight play a role in the development.

Other risk factors
Other factors that increase the risk of liver cell cancer include, among others

liver-damaging substances such as aflatoxin B1 in the diet (poison of the fungus Aspergillus flavus , which grows on cereals, peanuts and other foods in a humid climate)
Hereditary diseases of the metabolism, eg iron storage disease (hemochromatosis), Wilson’s disease
Taking certain sex hormones (eg anabolic steroids )
Occupational exposure to chemical substances such as solvents or pesticides
Causes of bile duct cancer
The causes of the less common bile duct carcinoma ( bile duct cancer , cholangiocarcinoma) are not fully understood. However, certain diseases increase the risk. These include

Cysts of the bile duct (choledochal cysts),
initially benign tumors of the bile ducts (adenomas),
Bile duct stones ,
a rare chronic inflammation of the bile ducts (so-called primary sclerosing cholangitis , PSC) as well as
Liver disease caused by chronic infections with parasites such as liver flukes (especially in countries like China and Japan).
Also, smoking and advanced age appear to increase the risk of cancer of the liver and bile duct cancer.