According to Cancer Research UK, there are around 6,600 new liver cancer cases in the UK every year, and around 5,830 people die from the disease each year.
Symptoms can include upper abdominal pain, yellow discolouration of the skin and general widespread weakness in the body.
According to Macmillan Cancer Support: “In the early stages of liver cancer (also called Hepatocellular carcinoma or HCC), there are often no symptoms.
“If you have long-term (chronic) liver disease, you may have regular tests to check the liver. If you develop HCC, these tests may find it before you have symptoms.”
However, there is also a key sign that the cancer charity highlighted which can be a red flag for liver cancer.
The sign of liver cancer that can show up when you’re eating
Liver cancer can drastically impact your appetite and, in fact, if you notice that you’re starting to feel fuller, sooner, this could also be a sign of liver cancer.
The NHS states that anyone can get primary liver cancer, and it’s not always clear what causes it.
You might be more likely to get it if you:
-
are over 60 – it’s most common in people over 85
-
are a man
-
have certain medical conditions, such as hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, gallstones, diabetes, a parasite in the liver (liver flukes) or HIV
-
have a brother, sister or parent who had primary liver cancer
They added that secondary liver cancer is caused by cancer cells from a cancer somewhere else in the body spreading to the liver.
Many liver cancers are also linked to your lifestyle.
The NHS recommends the following steps for preventing liver cancer:
-
try to lose weight if you’re overweight
-
wear protective clothes and masks if you work in a job where you’re exposed to harmful chemicals
-
try to cut down on alcohol – avoid drinking more than 14 units a week
-
try to quit smoking
Help and support:
