Malignant liver damage is rarely detected at the initial stages of its development, this is the reason for the unfavorable outcome of the disease.
In order to establish a diagnosis in the early stages of the formation of cancer, one should not only pay attention to changes in the state of health, but also undergo diagnostics that, when there are signs of liver damage, have their own peculiarities.
How is liver cancer diagnosed?
In case of any disturbing changes in the state of health, the exact cause of which the person is unable to establish independently, it is necessary to contact a qualified specialist as early as possible.
A preliminary diagnosis of a malignant process in the liver is established based on a patient's questioning, anamnesis, abdominal palpation.
If a tumor is suspected, the health care provider must appoint a series of examinations to assess the internal organs from the inside.
When detecting signs of liver cancer use:
- ultrasound. This method is available in most medical institutions and when it is performed one can notice the presence of neoplasms, an increase in the liver in size.
- CT.Tomography shows the size of the tumor, determines the presence of metastases.
- Puncture formation, it is necessary for sampling a tissue for biopsy.
- Angiography is required to evaluate pathological changes in the vessels.
- Blood tests show changes in its composition, inflammatory response. Additionally, oncomarkers are identified, which are an indirect confirmation of cancer education in the body.
How does the disease manifest itself?
The complexity of diagnosing liver cancer at the initial stage of its development is mainly due to the fact that this disease first does not give a clear and specific symptomatology.
In general, there may be digestive disorders, nausea, bitterness in the mouth, a periodically appearing heaviness on the right under the ribs. All these symptoms are usually associated with overeating, the use of poor-quality food and therefore do not immediately go to the doctor.
Meanwhile, with careful consideration of their health, cancer education can be suspected on the following manifestations:
- A noticeable weight loss
- Decreased appetite.
- Rapid filling of the stomach, which is manifested by a sense of heaviness, even with low-calorie meals in a small amount.
- Nausea.
- Itching of the skin.
- Yellowing of sclera and jaundice of the body.
- Increases the liver, which manifests as a tumor on the right under the ribs. When liver cancer increases in size and the spleen, so on the left under the ribs often also manages to independently probe the tumor-like formation.
- Pain in the upper abdomen, tenderness often radiates into the scapula.
- Extension of veins that appear through the abdominal wall.
- Accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity.
If malignant liver damage develops on the background of cirrhosis or other liver disease, then the above-mentioned symptoms are also associated with the symptoms, and this worsens the overall well-being.
It should be noted that the listed signs of cancer are characteristic for other pathologies of CT, so when fixing them immediately panic is not worth it, but you need to be fully surveyed as early as possible. Timely treatment for any disease is the key to a quick recovery and no complications.
Some malignant neoplasms located in the liver produce a number of hormones that affect the overall functioning of the body.
Changing the hormonal background causes:
- Hypercalcemia, and this condition is characterized by muscle weakness, constipation, nausea, retardation.
- Hypoglycemia. The fall of sugar leads to hypotension, weakness and fainting. Hypoglycemia is more common with slowly growing liver tumors.
- Gynecomastia and a decrease in testicles in male sizes.
- Erythrocytosis - an increase in the number of red blood cells. Such a change in blood causes a tidal flush and reddening of the facial skin.
- Increased cholesterol.
The listed symptoms are identified by many physicians with other diseases, and if an instrumental diagnosis is not performed, the diagnosis is incorrect.
General clinical trials of
General clinical studies include carrying out a biochemical and general blood test, determining normal urine values.
In liver cancer, all these tests are changing and the more neglected the process, the stronger will be the deviations from the norm.
Oncomarkers
A blood test for cancer markers on liver cancer helps to correctly diagnose. Cancerous tumors produce specific proteins, exceeding their indices indicates a malignant neoplasm.
If the liver is susceptible to a cancerous process, a cancer marker called alfa-fetoprotein is identified in the blood. This protein is found in children, in healthy adults is completely absent and sharply increases with liver damage by cancer cells.
Blood indicators
Biochemical blood test shows the degree of impaired functioning of the liver, and some changes in its parameters occur precisely with cancer of the body.
The general analysis of blood in liver cancer is characterized by an increase in ESR, that is, the rate of erythrocyte sedimentation.
Increasing ESR indicates an inflammatory process. In malignant processes in the body, the content of leukocytes in the blood increases, and red blood cells fall. In patients with liver cancer, a decrease in hemoglobin is detected already in the second to third stage.
Ultrasound scan
Ultrasound scanning is the most accessible method. Cancerous lesions of the liver on ultrasound have the form of different structures, its contours are both clear and fuzzy.
Malignant formations are defined as single or multiple, possibly damage to large vessels.
The doctor suspects the cancer process if the following signs are visually determined in the body:
- Seals in the area where the portal vein branches are located.
- Changes in vascular pattern of the liver surface.
- Increased parenchyma density.
- Enlarging the liver and rounding its lower edge.
- Reduced ultrasonic waves.
- Inhomogeneous structure of different segments of the liver.
Similar signs indicate a possible malignant neoplasm, but the final diagnosis is only exhibited after confirmation of the cancer in other ways.
Biopsy
The term biopsy refers to a procedure in which a small piece of tissue is taken for histological examination.
The main indication for the procedure is a suspected cancer tumor.
Liver biopsy is performed in three ways:
- A percutaneous is performed using a special needle designed to collect a biopsy specimen. The puncture is performed between the two lower right ribs, manipulation under local anesthesia is performed. To perform the analysis, you need to take either a piece of a tumor or a blood clot in which cancer cells can also be found.
- Laparoscopic biopsy is performed using an endoscope. First, a small incision is made in the projection of the liver, through which an endoscope is inserted. Under the control of the image displayed on the screen, the doctor takes several fragments of the biopsy from different parts of the organ.
- A transgenic biopsy is performed by inserting a catheter with a needle into a vein on the neck. This catheter moves neatly to the liver, where tissue is then taken. A transvenous biopsy is mainly prescribed when the patient has serious problems with blood coagulability.
In most modern medical institutions, biopsy baking is performed under the supervision of ultrasound or CT, which allows you to take a sample of tissues from the visible places of its rebirth.
The procedure is easily transferred and most often done on an outpatient basis, if manipulation does not cause complications, the patient leaves the clinic after three to four hours.
Histological examination assesses the cellular composition of the biopsy specimen, with cancer identifying atypical cells.
CT and MRI
Computed tomography is a method of examining the liver, in which it is possible to visually examine all changes in the cross section of the organ.
CT provides information on the dimensions of different types of tumors, their location, and the damage to blood vessels. Under the control of tomography, liver biopsy is often performed.
A computerized tomograph, photographing the patient's body, produces dozens of images, which are then combined with a special program. If necessary, the addition of contrast medium is additionally used, which allows us to consider the structure of the tumor.
For the procedure, the patient is placed in a horizontal position in the apparatus, the outer part of which rotates around the body, the procedure is completely painless, but in some patients it causes psychological discomfort.
MRI or magnetic resonance imaging works on the same principle as CT. That is, the procedure allows you to get a detailed image of the liver, but instead of X-rays, radio waves are used.
Body tissues first absorb radio waves, and then they are released. The computer evaluates the changes in the released waves, and converts them into an organ image with all the violations detected. When MRI is performed, a contrast agent is used, which is necessary for visualization of some types of tumors.
MRI allows not only to detect a tumor, but also in some cases helps to distinguish a benign formation from a malignant one. In addition to identifying tumors, MRI is necessary to visualize the state of the vessels, both in the liver itself and around it.
MRI In contrast to CT, some patients are more difficult to bear. The thing is that the patient should stay in a narrow tube for about an hour during the research, which causes many people to panic. The scanner itself makes loud noises, which increase psychological discomfort. Therefore, the procedure should be prepared mentally.
Laparoscopy
Laparoscopic examination is performed to assess the liver condition, when it is performed, the size of the tumor is determined, and a surgical treatment plan is selected.
Laparoscopy is performed by creating a small incision on the abdominal wall, through which a flexible endoscope is inserted, equipped with a miniature camera. The resulting image is displayed.
During manipulation, if necessary, you can take a tissue sample for histological examination.
Laparoscopic examination is performed under general anesthesia, but, as a rule, after it the patient feels satisfactory and after a few hours he is released home.
Angiography
Angiography is a vascular examination performed with contrast media and X-rays. After the introduction of contrast, the contours of the vessels become clearly visible and those that feed the growing tumor are determined.
Based on angiography, a decision is made about the possible operation of the patient, and embolization is performed using this procedure, which allows to destroy the tumor.
Angiography establishes the location of the tumor in the liver, one type of this examination, carried out with a contrast agent, reveals even tumors with a diameter of less than 2 cm.
When performing the manipulation, a flexible catheter is first inserted into the vein on the inner surface of the thigh which moves to the hepatic artery. Through it, a contrast agent is injected, and pictures of the liver are taken.
The procedure delivers a small discomfort, and is performed under local anesthesia.
Scan of bones
Scanning of bone tissue of the skeleton is prescribed when there is a suspicion of spreading bone metastases or when a decision is made about liver transplantation.
Manipulation is the introduction of a radioactive material in a vein, it settles in a few hours, where there are changes in bone tissue. The next stage of the procedure is the use of equipment that captures all the radiation from the patient's body.
In the picture obtained, the pathologies of the bones of the skeleton are considered as "hot knots", but in order to accurately establish a cancerous lesion of the bones, a number of additional examinations should be performed.
A video shows a laparoscopic liver biopsy, with a suspected metastasis: