无声的捕食者肝癌的隐患

Stages of liver disease

Stage 1: Healthy Liver

Stage 2: Inflammation

It all starts with a condition called hepatitis. Hepatitis refers to the inflammation of liver cells which can be caused by various factors such as Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C infection, drug-induced, alcohol, as well as autoimmune conditions.

Stage 3: Fibrosis

When the inflammation of liver cells is dysregulated and prolonged, it can lead to fibrosis or scarring of the liver.

Stage 4: Cirrhosis

Consequently, severe irreversible scarring of the liver will eventually result in liver cirrhosis. Cirrhosis represents a progressive and irreversible deterioration of liver health that can ultimately develop into malignancy over time. Liver cirrhosis is one of the major risk factors for hepatocellular carcinoma. In addition, there are other less common types of liver cancer which include intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and hepatoblastoma.

Stage 5: Liver Cancer

Formation of malignant tumor in the liver.

Stage 6: End Stage Liver Disease

Liver function ceased entirely.

Since liver cancer patients are often asymptomatic in the early stages of the cancer, it would be difficult to diagnose liver cancer at a curable stage. More often than not, patients with liver cancer tend to exhibit non-specific symptoms such as fatigue, weight loss, frequent stomach bloating, loss of appetite, and abdominal discomfort.

Symptoms like jaundice, pain in the right abdomen, bleeding tendencies, and ascites (accumulation of fluid in the abdomen) become apparent in advanced stages of liver cancer, reflecting the damage inflicted upon the liver.