Role of Heredity in Liver Cancer

Heredity plays a role in many cancers in our body, and it is also one of the factors that can influence who will eventually be diagnosed with liver cancer. However, heredity isn't the only determining factor. Other factors exist too. And although tumors in the bile duct and liver are among the most common tumors experienced in the world, that isn't necessarily true for the United States. Only one-fifth of the 15,000 gallbladder, liver, and biliary tract tumor cases that occur annually in the U.S. are attributed to liver cancer.

Hemochromatosis

• Hemochromatosis is one example of the role of heredity in liver cancer, since this inherited disease can influence a diagnosis of liver cancer. In hemochromatosis, the body is accumulating too much iron in the liver, as well as other organs. This is the result of the body malfunctioning due to some hereditary disorder. The malfunction occurs when the body absorbs too much iron through the food in the diet.

Wilson's disease

• Like hemochromatosis, Wilson's disease is also the result of an inherited problem within the body. Whereas hemochromatosis is the accumulation of too much iron in the body, Wilson's disease is an accumulation of too much copper in the body. Therefore, this condition can also be an inherited contributing factor in liver cancer; however, it is more rare than hemochromatosis.

Galactosemia

• Another disease that plays a hereditary role in liver cancer is galactosemia. Unlike hemochromatosis and Wilson's disease, galactosemia doesn't accumulate iron or copper in the body; instead, it accumulates galactose. This galactose is accumulated in the blood due to an inherited enzyme deficiency that prohibits its conversion into glucose.

Misconceptions

• Since there is an abundance of iron, copper and glucose in the body of individuals diagnosed with these diseases, some mistakenly believe that the diet is the problem; however, that is not the case in hemochromatosis, Wilson's disease, or galactosemia. These conditions are the result of inherited deficiencies, not outside factors like diet.

Geography

• The United States is not the primary country plagued with this type of cancer. Japan, China and Sub-Saharan Africa are the three predominant locations internationally for liver cancer.

Considerations

• Although diet by itself is not a contributing factor for liver cancer, there is some speculation that poor drinking water, soil and contaminated grains and other food items may be instrumental in the higher liver cancer rates being experienced in Sub-Saharan Africa, Japan and China.