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Liver cancer
Will early-stage liver cancer cause a low-grade fever?
Patients with early-stage liver cancer may experience low-grade fevers, primarily due to the following two reasons: First, tumor fever. In the early stages of liver cancer, some tumor cells can release tumor mediators into the bloodstream, affecting the function of the temperature regulation center and causing the patient to develop a fever. This type of tumor fever is usually not very high, remaining below 38.5°C, without concurrent symptoms or signs of infection. A complete blood count typically indicates that the total number of white blood cells and the proportion of neutrophils are not elevated. The second scenario involves patients in the early stages of liver cancer experiencing fever due to concurrent infections. These patients often present with symptoms and signs related to infection, such as coughing up phlegm, abdominal pain and diarrhea, and urinary frequency, urgency, or pain. The proportion of white blood cells and neutrophils is significantly increased in these cases.
Early-stage liver cancer: how to exercise daily
Patients with early-stage liver cancer can engage in light and low-intensity exercises daily, such as slow walking and strolling. This is because early-stage liver cancer patients generally have an acceptable physical condition, although most of them have low immunity. Doing some appropriate exercises can enhance the patients’ immune system and has minimal impact on their overall physical condition. Moreover, patients with early-stage liver cancer usually undergo curative surgery for treatment. In most cases, post-surgery, they do not require radiation, chemotherapy, or targeted therapy for tumor treatment. With close follow-up, as long as there is no recurrence or metastasis, most patients can achieve clinical cure. Early exercise is beneficial for the recovery of patients, thus it is recommended. In addition, for patients with early-stage liver cancer, close follow-up of the disease changes after curative surgery is crucial to provide timely treatment.
Can early-stage liver cancer be cured by resection?
Liver cancer is one of the common malignant tumors of the digestive system. For patients with early-stage liver cancer, clinical cure is possible after curative surgery. This clinical cure refers to instances where liver cancer patients, after undergoing curative surgery, do not show signs of recurrence or metastasis over a period exceeding five years. This means there is no invasion of surrounding tissues and no metastasis to distant organs – effectively, the patients have achieved clinical cure. Patients' survival time exceeds five years, or even longer. Therefore, for patients with early-stage liver cancer, because their lesions are relatively limited, achieving clinical cure is possible following curative surgery. However, as the disease progresses to the mid and late stages, even with aggressive surgery and postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy or chemotherapy, most patients cannot achieve clinical cure.
Primary liver cancer causes
The causes and specific mechanisms of primary liver cancer are not yet very clear; its development is a complex process involving multiple factors and steps, influenced by various aspects such as environment and diet. Primary liver cancer is associated with chronic hepatitis B and C virus infections, aflatoxin, contaminated drinking water, and alcoholic cirrhosis, among other factors. Particularly, hepatocellular carcinoma has a significant association with hepatitis B, and most patients may also have a history of chronic hepatitis B.
Does early-stage liver cancer cause itchy skin?
Liver cancer is one of the common malignant tumors in the digestive system. In the early stages of liver cancer, most patients do not exhibit symptoms of skin itching. It is only when the cancer progresses and causes obstructive jaundice that patients clinically develop symptoms of skin itching. Early-stage liver cancer patients typically do not show typical clinical symptoms, or they may not have any significant symptoms at all. This is because early-stage liver cancer lesions are small and localized, without external invasion or metastasis. Therefore, the impact on the entire body is minimal, and clinically it generally manifests as mild abdominal bloating, discomfort, nausea, diarrhea, and some patients may experience a dull ache or discomfort in the liver area. Because the symptoms of early-stage liver cancer are atypical, many patients are already in the middle to late stages by the time they seek medical attention, missing the opportunity for clinical cure.
How to reduce fever in late-stage liver cancer
For late-stage liver cancer patients experiencing fever, antipyretic treatment should be based on different circumstances. If the fever is due to an infection, it often exceeds 39℃ and is accompanied by symptoms and signs related to the infection, such as cough and yellow sputum, abdominal pain, diarrhea, frequent urination, urgency, and painful urination. In such cases, antibiotics should be used for anti-infective treatment, along with antipyretic analgesics for fever reduction. If the fever is due to tumor fever or interventions like liver procedures, there are no infection-related factors, usually the temperature does not exceed 38.5℃, and there are no symptoms or signs related to infection. The treatment primarily involves the use of antipyretic analgesics for fever reduction.
Can hepatitis B lead to liver cancer?
Hepatitis B can cause chronic infection in the body, which may damage liver cells and potentially lead to liver cirrhosis or liver cancer. Therefore, in cases of hepatitis B virus infection, it is necessary to regularly check liver function and hepatitis B virus DNA. If abnormal transaminase levels are found, timely liver-protective and enzyme-lowering treatments should be administered. If the hepatitis B virus DNA reaches a certain level, antiviral treatment should be initiated to potentially slow the progression of hepatitis B developing into liver cirrhosis or even liver cancer. Additionally, carriers of the hepatitis B virus or patients with hepatitis B should take care to rest adequately, avoid excessive fatigue and staying up late, abstain from alcohol, and maintain a light, digestible diet.
Can liver calcifications be liver cancer?
Calcification in the liver is not liver cancer. For internal liver calcifications, it is described in ultrasonography and CT scans as a benign lesion, not as liver cancer. Liver cancer is a malignant tumor that can be life-threatening, thus it is considered a serious condition. When calcification is present, it is not indicative of liver cancer, but regular follow-up ultrasounds are still needed to monitor changes in size dynamically. If the calcification increases significantly in size over a short period and grows rapidly, malignant transformation should be suspected, and surgery should be conducted as soon as possible to improve the prognosis for the patient. Additionally, for liver cancer patients, it is advisable to avoid spicy and irritating foods to reduce inflammatory stimulation, which is more conducive to the recovery of the condition.
Can pain around the belly button be liver cancer?
The tissues around the navel are primarily intestinal tissues. The outer ring is the large intestine, and close to the navel is mainly the small intestine. If there is pain around the navel that feels like pulling or bloating, and it relieves after defecation, then it is generally enteritis. The liver, on the other hand, is located in the upper right part of the abdomen, below the rib margin. If pain occurs in this area, the possibility of liver cancer is high, and the two types of pain are completely different. Pain around the navel is mainly pulling pain, and it is not very severe; whereas liver pain is primarily bloating pain, which is very severe, and general medications cannot alleviate it. Therefore, pain around the navel is unlikely to be liver cancer.
How to alleviate tinnitus caused by liver cancer?
Patients with advanced liver cancer may experience symptoms of tinnitus, which is caused by the liver cancer. It is suggested to complement with some traditional Chinese medicine to effectively alleviate this. If the tumor has already spread or metastasized, it indicates an advanced stage. It is urgent to treat the condition to control its progress, alleviate the patient's suffering, and prolong life. Currently, a more effective method for treating liver cancer is biological therapy. It is recommended to go to a regular hospital for a detailed examination and to follow the doctor’s treatment plan.