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Signs & Symptoms of Liver Cancer and Hepatitis C

The liver is an organ in the abdomen that works in clearing out dangerous toxins in the blood. Unlike other organs in the body, the liver is capable of self-repair. Like other organs in the body, the liver is susceptible to damage from infections or cancerous growths. Liver cancer, or "hepatoma," has different causes, some known, others unknown. Hepatitis C is caused by the Hepatitis C Virus (HCV). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, hepatitis virus infections may lead to liver cancer. Both hepatitis and hepatoma have similar signs and symptoms.

  1. Abdominal Pain

    • One of the symptoms of both hepatitis and hepatoma is abdominal pain. This is because of the location of the liver and because of the inflammation associated with both hepatitis and hepatoma.

    Digestive Problems

    • The liver functions in digestion by producing bile to help in the absorption of fats. When the liver is diseased, the production of bile is reduced, and so are the numerous enzymes that the liver uses to detoxify the blood.

    Jaundice

    • Jaundice is the yellow tinge the skin attains when bilirubin (a precursor chemical of bile) begins to accumulate in the blood as the liver is unable to convert it to bile and other water-soluble forms. Too much bilirubin the blood affects the brain as well.

    Mental Problems

    • The accumulation of bilirubin and other toxins the liver is unable to deal with have detrimental effects on other organs in the body. The most sensitive of these organs is the brain. A person with untreated hepatitis and hepatoma will begin to exhibit signs of brain toxicity like confusion, loss of memory and, in the most severe of cases, coma and death.

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