Your liver plays a crucial role in the metabolic process; by breaking down fats into energy and producing bile daily. With the help of vitamin k, the liver also produces proteins that are key for preventing blood clots.
In other words, your liver is extremely important and it’s imperative to take care of it.
Unfortunately, over 700,000 people each year are diagnosed with liver cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, liver cancer incidences have more than tripled since 1980. In addition to the up rise, liver cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer deaths worldwide, taking the lives of more than 600,000 people each year.
What Is Liver Cancer?
The liver is about the same size of a football and sits in your upper right portion of your abdomen, above your stomach and beneath your diaphragm. Liver cancer forms through cells in your liver.
Although several types of cancers can form in your liver, the most common type is hepatocellular carcinoma, which is particularly common in people diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B and C.
The other types of liver cancer consist of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and hepatoblastoma. Both are less common but Hepatoblastoma is usually found in children under the age of 2 years old and Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma arises from the peripheral bile ducts within the liver parenchyma.
It’s more common to see liver cancer form through metastatic cancer, which is the spread of cancer from one organ to another. Cancer usually builds on other organs such as the colon or stomach and spreads to the liver.
Causes of Liver Cancer
Although the main causes of liver cancer are still uncertain, it is clear that large alcohol consumption- whether it be wine, beer, or liquor- is a huge contributing factor to this condition.
As we know, smoking causes a variety of adverse effects on organs including the liver. Firsthand and secondhand smoke can affect the liver by delivering harmful toxins and suppressing the T-cell responses that are associated with decreased surveillance for tumor cells.
Other risk factors include:
- Exposure to aflatoxins
- Fatty liver diet
-Chronic infection with HBV or HCV
-Cirrhosis
-Diabetes
Best Hedge Against Liver Cancer
Oftentimes symptoms of liver cancer don’t appear in the early stages, so it is crucial to get tested and take the first step to fighting cancer. The IvyGene test is able to detect and measure DNA methylation patterns in your liver that are consistent with actual cancer presence.
When you have a reading of your methylation levels, you can then take proactive steps to eliminate the presence of cancer through diet and other lifestyle changes. Preventative action is the most effective approach to eliminating cancer growth.
Call today to learn more about the IvyGene test.