Why can't people with liver cancer drink milk?

Written by Yan Chun
Oncology
Updated on December 03, 2024
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Liver cancer patients are generally advised not to drink milk, particularly in cases of advanced liver cancer where there is a potential for hepatic encephalopathy. This is because, for patients in the late stages of liver cancer, liver function is compromised, and some may already exhibit symptoms indicative of pre-hepatic encephalopathy. Consuming a diet rich in protein can easily trigger hepatic encephalopathy, and since milk is high in protein, its consumption is usually limited or avoided in such patients. However, for the majority of liver cancer patients, drinking milk is permissible as it not only contains abundant protein but also rich calcium, which is beneficial for the recovery of liver cancer patients. Most liver cancer patients have hypoalbuminemia (low levels of protein in the blood) and some also have hypocalcemia (low levels of calcium in the blood), thus the intake of calcium and protein-rich foods can be very beneficial for their recovery.

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Patients with liver cancer may not necessarily have elevated carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels in the early stages. CEA, a commonly used tumor marker, tends to increase in various types of malignancies. However, an elevation in CEA is not necessarily linked to the occurrence of malignant tumors. Many patients with early-stage tumors, including liver cancer, may not have elevated CEA levels at diagnosis. Conversely, elevated CEA levels in some patients may be due to benign conditions and not necessarily indicate malignancy. Therefore, it is unreasonable to determine the presence of liver cancer solely based on the elevation of CEA.

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Will early-stage liver cancer cause weight loss?

For patients with early-stage liver cancer, symptoms of wasting do not occur at the onset. This is because wasting in liver cancer patients is due to insufficient albumin synthesis as the tumor causes a substantial consumption of protein, coupled with a decrease in appetite leading to inadequate intake of nutrients such as albumin, which ultimately results in wasting. This is a common clinical manifestation in patients with advanced liver cancer. However, for patients with early-stage liver cancer, the impairment of liver function is relatively minor; therefore, their synthesis of albumin is normal. Moreover, early-stage patients exhibit almost no clinical symptoms and their appetite remains normal, with no decrease in food intake. Thus, their intake of nutrients is also maintained at normal levels. Additionally, as the tumor is smaller in the early stages, the consumption of the body's nutrients is less. Considering these three factors, the overall protein consumption remains normal and not excessive, thus preventing the patients from experiencing wasting.

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Does early-stage liver cancer cause yellowing of the skin?

In the early stages of liver cancer, generally, the skin does not turn yellow. This is because jaundice, which causes the skin to yellow, occurs in liver cancer patients due to the presence of jaundice. The causes of jaundice in liver cancer patients mainly consider two aspects. The first reason is due to the lesions of liver cancer, which damage liver cells and cause liver function damage, thereby causing jaundice. Another reason is due to significant liver lesions that compress the bile ducts and intrahepatic bile ducts, causing obstructive jaundice. Therefore, the appearance of jaundice is often a clinical manifestation of late-stage liver cancer. In the early stages of liver cancer, the lesions are generally small, causing only mild damage to liver function. Moreover, in most cases, it does not cause compression or obstruction in the biliary system, thus not leading to obstructive jaundice. Therefore, yellowing of the skin does not occur in the early stages.

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Does liver cancer cause nosebleeds in its early stages?

Patients with early-stage liver cancer generally do not exhibit clinical symptoms of nosebleeds. Nosebleeds are a clinical manifestation of late-stage liver cancer. Early-stage liver cancer patients usually have atypical symptoms, which may include tenderness in the liver area, decreased appetite, abdominal bloating, and symptoms of indigestion. As the disease progresses, the liver cancer invades surrounding tissues and metastasizes to distant sites, leading to liver function impairment and coagulation disorders, which can result in nosebleeds. Some patients may also develop splenic hyperfunction due to liver damage, leading to a decrease in platelets, which can also cause nosebleeds. Additionally, some patients in the late stages may develop disseminated intravascular coagulation, leading to spontaneous internal and mucosal bleeding, clinically manifesting as nosebleeds.

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Can hepatitis B turn into liver cancer?

If hepatitis B is not effectively controlled, it can further develop into liver cancer. However, if patients adhere to standard treatment, regular check-ups, rest adequately, eat healthily, and abstain from alcohol, most conditions can be effectively controlled, significantly reducing the likelihood of developing liver cancer. Therefore, patients need not worry too much; maintaining a positive and optimistic attitude is more conducive to the recovery from the disease.