The Role Of The Liver And Liver Cancer

The liver performs one of the most important detoxification functions of your body. One of the worst that can happen to you is if you suffer from liver damage or liver cancer. Liver cancer develops when liver cells multiply at abnormal rates. They then attack healthy parts of the same organ or a neighbouring one. Cancer cells soon spread beyond their original location to other parts and organs to establish new tumours, in a process call metastasis.

Every organ in your body is comprised of cells. Cells are living things; they are born, they die; thus, your body is always making new cells to replace the old and dead ones. This process has to be tightly regulated, otherwise there will be chaos. Cancer cells interefere with the normal functioning of this process.

At approximately 1.5 kilograms in weight, the liver is the biggest organ in your body. You may not even realise that your liver is inside you as it is hidden in your right upper abdomen, underneath and protected by your right rib cage. Because of its detoxification role, it is perhaps the busiest organ in your body, tasked with numerous functions.

The liver makes the different proteins that your body needs, which include enzymes, hormones, antibodies, and other substances necessary for the proper functioning of your body. You can likened it to be the power plant of your body since it is the primary source of energy. It also filters your blood to remove drugs, wastes and toxins; it makes bile which helps in the digestion of fat. It is the most parsimonious organ in the body, extracting anything that can be used from your blood and storing it for future use. You can just imagine how distrastrous it would be if your liver breaks down and cannot perform its many functions.

There are two types of liver cancer, primary and secondary. Primary liver cancer means the tumour starts from the the liver. Hepatocellular cancer (abbreviated HCC) is the most common form (90 percent) of primary liver cancer. HCC originates from hepatocytes, the liver cells responsible for most of its functions. Other types of primary liver cancer are rare: cholangiocarcinoma, a cancer arising from bile ducts within the liver; hepatoblastoma, which occurs in children, and gallbladder cancer.

Secondary liver cancer means the cancer started somewhere else and spread (metastasised) to the liver. In secondary liver cancer, patients do not have “liver cancer” from a technical perspective. Patients are actually experiencing metastases to their liver.

Your sex and age can play a part in terms of risk factors. It seems that men are 2.8 times more likely to be affected than women. Also your risk increases after the age of 40. High rates have been noted in China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, and the Philippines. Rates are high among Chinese and Koreans in Los Angeles and among Chinese in the San Francisco Bay area, although those rates are about half of mainland China rates. Liver cancer is to be feared; it is the eighth most common cancer in the world.

The most important risk factor for liver cancer is hepatitis B virus (HBV). Geographic areas with high rates of hepatitis also have high rates of HCC; conversely, HCC patients are far more likely to be hepatitis B carriers. Studies also show that men are two to three times more likely to develop HCC. Conversely, women have greater survival rates than men at any stage of liver cancer.

Aflatoxins are the most potent carcinogens on liver cells per unit weight. Aflatoxins are toxins produced by an Aspergillus funcgus that grows on many plants. They have been suspected to be agents for human HCC. While nothing conclusive has yet been established, you should avoid foods that are positive for aflatoxin. Many types of commercial crops or even commercial peanut butter contain minute quantities of aflatoxin, but they are usually below the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) recommended safe level.

As always, liver cleansing can also help reduce toxicity and in the removal of liver gallstones, formed when the bile in the gallbladder hardens into pieces of stone-like material. Gallstones block the normal flow of bile if they lodge in any of the ducts that carry bile from the liver to the small intestine.

It is hard to detect for early symptoms of liver cancer because there are no specific ones. An indicator can likely be the right upper quadrant of your body. Another common indicator for liver cancer is unexplained sudden weight loss. Protecting your liver is important. Avoid overloading your liver with foods that are hard to digest, processed foods and drugs can go a long way in good liver health.

Get more tips on liver cleansing here.