Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC)

September 5, 2023

3 min read

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common cancer in the world. It occurs primarily in people with underlying liver disease or cirrhosis from a hepatitis B or C infection.

The third leading cause of cancer deaths, hepatocellular carcinoma, occurs from a tumor in the liver and can be treated through surgery or a liver transplant when diagnosed early.

HCC grows slowly, especially in the early stages, making it a curable disease when detected early.

Causes of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

The liver is a vital organ that assists your body by:

Allowing better absorption of nutrients in your body to be stored or delivered to different body parts.
Collecting toxic substances and rendering them harmless or releasing them from the body.
Supporting blood circulation, removing toxins from the blood, and producing substances that help blood clots.

HCC occurs when a liver tumor prevents the liver from performing its vital function.

Symptoms of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

The liver cancer can have the following symptoms.

Jaundice (yellowing of skin and the eyes)
Abdominal discomfort with liver enlargement
Unexplained weight loss
Loss of appetite with a feeling of fullness
Nausea or vomiting
Fever
Gastrointestinal haemorrage
Persistent itching
Stomach pain or pain near the right shoulder blade

Risks of Developing Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma is more prevalent in people with long-term liver disease. While liver cirrhosis is a common cause of liver cancer in people, people suffering from nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are at increased risk of getting the disease.

Other medical conditions that increase the risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma are:

Hepatitis C
Hepatitis B
Excessive consumption of alcohol
Obesity
Smoking
Type 2 diabetes

People with underlying medical conditions can get screened for liver cancer.

Diagnosing Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Your healthcare provider will perform a physical examination and go through your symptoms. They will look into your past illnesses and activities that might increase the cancer risk.

Your doctor may conduct the following tests.

X-rays
Liver function test
Alpha-Feto protein testing, where AFP, a tumor marker, is measured to diagnose liver cancer
Kidney function tests to see how efficiently your kidneys dispose of waste from the body;
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Computed Tomography (CT) Scan
Blood tests, tests for blood clotting
Bone scan
Angiography
Biopsy

Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma is treated by removing or destroying the liver tumor before it gets large or spreads to other areas of the body. Depending on the stage of cancer, treatment can vary from one person to another and may involve:

Surgical resection: Where the liver functions normally and there is one tumor, surgery is usually done to remove the part of the liver with the cancer. The liver grows back within six weeks.

Liver transplant

A liver transplant can be an effective solution if the liver is not functioning correctly. People with an early-stage HCC who cannot have surgery are put on a priority for obtaining a donor's liver. During the waiting period, non-surgical treatments are provided to keep the cancer under control.

Locoregional therapy

Non-surgical approaches are considered for tumors smaller than three centimeters in diameter. Such treatments are also used for large tumors that cannot be surgically removed.

Ablation therapy: It uses extreme heat or cold to kill the liver cancer cells. The treatment includes cryoablation, radiofrequency ablation, and ablation using microwaves or alcohol.
Radioembolization: It involves injecting radioactive beads into the liver tumor’s blood supply.
Chemoembolization: It involves injecting chemotherapy beads into the tumor’s blood supply.
Stereotactic body radiotherapy: The procedure uses a high dose of radiation on the tumor.

Targeted drug therapy

The therapy involves targeted drugs attacking cancer cells, slowing disease progression.

Immunotherapy

The procedure involves using medications that trigger the body’s immune system to fight the cancer cells. Immunotherapy is an excellent treatment for advanced liver cancers.