When it comes to liver health, few conditions are as daunting as cirrhosis and liver cancer. They both pose significant threats to life, but understanding their respective differences is crucial for diagnosis, treatment, and long-term management.
Cirrhosis is a late stage of scarring of the liver caused by many forms of liver diseases and conditions, such as hepatitis and chronic alcoholism. The liver carries out several necessary functions, including detoxifying harmful substances in your body, cleaning your blood, and making vital nutrients. Cirrhosis can lead to a number of health problems, including liver cancer.
The main causes of cirrhosis are chronic alcoholism, viral hepatitis (types B and C), and fatty liver disease (non-alcoholic steatohepatitis). Other possible causes include cystic fibrosis and Wilson's disease, an inherited disorder that leads to the accumulation of copper in the liver.
Cirrhosis often produces no symptoms in its early stages. In fact, you may not know you have cirrhosis until the disease is advanced. In the advanced stage, signs and symptoms of cirrhosis include:
To diagnose cirrhosis, a doctor will review your medical history, conduct a physical exam, and order liver function tests, imaging tests, or a liver biopsy.
Treatment for cirrhosis involves treating the underlying cause of the liver damage. Treatment for cirrhosis may include:
Liver cancer is a type of cancer that begins in the liver. Your liver is a football-sized organ that sits in the upper right portion of your abdomen, beneath your diaphragm and above your stomach. Liver cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Most people don't notice signs and symptoms of liver cancer until the disease is advanced.
There are several types of liver cancer, but the most common form of liver cancer is hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which begins in the main type of liver cell (hepatocyte).
Other types of liver cancer include:
Liver cancer is most often caused by damage to the liver over many years. In developed countries, hep C and fatty liver disease are the most common causes of liver cancer. Hep B is also a common cause.
Other risks include:
Signs and symptoms of liver cancer typically do not occur until the later stages of the disease, but they may include:
Liver cancer can be screened for in people who are at increased risk of liver cancer due to conditions, such as cirrhosis. Diagnosis includes a physical exam, blood tests, imaging tests, and a biopsy.
Treatment for liver cancer may include surgery, liver transplant, ablation, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and targeted drug therapy. However, the best treatment for liver cancer is to prevent the disease altogether.
Ways to prevent liver cancer include:
The primary difference between cirrhosis and liver cancer is their nature. Cirrhosis is a result of chronic damage to the liver, leading to scarring and loss of liver function. Liver cancer, on the other hand, is an uncontrolled growth of liver cells that may follow cirrhosis.
Cirrhosis happens over time, as the liver is continually injured and tries to repair itself, leading to scarring. This scarring can eventually be severe enough to prevent the liver from functioning optimally. Liver cancer, or hepatocellular carcinoma, is usually preceded by changes in liver cells, which can lead to uncontrolled growth.
Both cirrhosis and liver cancer can be diagnosed through various blood tests, imaging studies (such as CT and MRI scans), and liver biopsies. However, the course of diagnosis for liver cancer usually involves more specific tumor markers and detailed imaging for staging.
Treating cirrhosis often means managing the symptoms and slowing the progression of liver damage. In contrast, the treatment for liver cancer can be curative if the cancer is caught early enough, typically involving surgical interventions to remove the tumor and sometimes the liver itself.
The prognosis for cirrhosis depends on the severity of the scarring and the levels of liver function. For liver cancer, the prognosis depends on the stage at diagnosis and how much of the cancer can be removed or destroyed.
Cirrhosis and liver cancer are distinct diseases, but they are closely related. The main takeaway is that while cirrhosis is treatable, it is a significant risk factor for liver cancer. Understanding the warning signs, risk factors, and diagnostic and treatment processes for these diseases is instrumental in seeking and obtaining timely and effective medical intervention. It is also important to remember that both conditions can often be prevented with healthy lifestyle choices and, in some cases, vaccination. Educating oneself on liver health, and seeking regular medical check-ups to monitor it, is the first step toward preventing and managing these serious conditions.
