A doctor examines a patient to detect early at the Vietnam National Cancer Hospital in Hà Nội. (Photo: suckhoedoisong.vn)Hanoi (VNA) – Liver cancer is responsible for the highest number of
deaths among with the total number topping 26,000
each year.
The number accounts for 21% of the deaths caused by cancer in the country. The
data was revealed by the Vietnam National Cancer Hospital at a recent event
named “Correct understanding of liver cancer”.
The hospital said 90% of liver cancer cases in were hepatocellular
carcinoma (HCC) and 77% were men.
Lai Phu Thai Son, deputy head of the Outpatient Department at the hospital’s Tan
Trieu Facility told Suc khoe & Doi song (Health & Life) online
newspaper that symptoms of liver cancer were often atypical and easily
overlooked.
Most patients often came to see the doctor for disease detection and treatment
when the disease was at a late stage, he said.
It caused treatment more difficult and costly, he said.
Experts recommend people pay more attention to the issue of early screening in
the hope of detecting and treating early.
There are liver cancer patients extending their lives for a dozen years thanks
to early detection and timely treatment.
Ha Hai Nam, deputy head of the hospital’s Department of Abdominal Surgery 1,
said there were some high-risk groups who need to be early screened for liver
cancer.
People with hepatitis B and C viruses, cirrhosis, fatty liver, or having one of
their family members contracted liver cancer need to be screened early,
according to Nam.
If a person has contracted active hepatitis B and C viruses, he or she needs to
be treated early to avoid the risk of complications into liver cancer because
hepatitis B and C viruses are believed to be the leading causes of primary
hepatocellular carcinoma.
People who have not been vaccinated against hepatitis B should be vaccinated as
soon as possible to avoid the risk of infection later.
People, who are obese, has diabetes, and drank a lot of alcohol should also be
early screened for liver cancer.
In recent years, the rate of people with diabetes, obesity and liver cancer in
the world has increased significantly. High blood sugar and blood fat
accumulated in the liver lead to degenerative damage to liver cells and causing
cirrhosis, increasing the risk of liver cancer.
Nam also added that alcohol had the ability to promote oncogenes to develop
rapidly, leading to early cancer. In addition, alcohol also damaged liver
cells. When drinking too much alcohol, the liver’s detoxification function
would be overloaded, and liver cells were severely damaged, forming scar
tissue, fibrosis, thereby forming cirrhotic liver rafts and liver cancer.
People who often use stimulants such as tobacco and coffee with large amounts
for a long time could get liver diseases, including liver cancer, according to
the doctor.
People who eat mouldy foods also have to be early screened for liver cancer.
Aflatoxins in mould are the most powerful liver cancer-causing toxin today.
Aflatoxins cause liver cancer by causing mutations in the p53 gene. Mould often
occurs in preserved foods, stored in a hot and humid environment such as rice,
peanuts, soybeans, wheat and corn.
People who often eat meat contaminated with fluke also should be early screened
for liver cancer.
Raw foods that are not carefully processed often contain many types of flukes,
including some flukes when entering the body, would destroy the liver, cause
liver cancer.
People who used or exposed to some drugs and chemicals, such as thorotrast and
vinyl chloride, for a long time are advised to be screened for liver cancer
because the drugs and chemicals could cause damage to the liver and lead to
liver cancer./.
Source: VietnamPlus
