Attention A T users. To access the menus on this page please perform the following steps. 1. Please switch auto forms mode to off. 2. Hit enter to expand a main menu option (Health, Benefits, etc). 3. To enter and activate the submenu links, hit the down arrow. You will now be able to tab or arrow up or down through the submenu options to access/activate the submenu links.

Viral Hepatitis and Liver Disease

Menu
Menu
Quick Links
Veterans Crisis Line Badge
My healthevet badge
 

Things to know about liver cancer

for Veterans and the Public

Things to know about liver cancer - Liver Cancer for Patients

  • Liver cancer can cause death in a person with cirrhosis.
  • Liver cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world, especially in Asia and Africa, and it is becoming increasingly common in the United States.
  • If liver cancer is diagnosed in earlier stages, then there is a better chance of a good outcome.
  • Patients with cirrhosis from any cause, including hepatitis C, hepatitis B, and alcohol use, have a greater risk of developing liver cancer.
  • Preventing cirrhosis is the best way of preventing liver cancer.
  • Screening for liver cancer is done with abdominal ultrasound every 6 months. A blood test called AFP can be added to the ultrasound, but it is not required.
  • If something concerning such as a mass is seen on the ultrasound, usually a CT or MRI is performed to get more detailed views.
  • A health care provider can usually determine whether liver cancer is present based on radiology tests, such as a CT or MRI of the abdomen. A biopsy of the liver, which refers to extracting a small sample of tissue with a hollow needle and testing it for liver cancer, is used less often. Biopsies can be difficult to perform and there are some risks involved.
  • Liver cancer can be treated if it is detected early, but the treatment is very specialized. Patients should discuss the details thoroughly with their health care providers.
  • One potential treatment for early-stage liver cancer is a liver transplant. This is a complicated form of treatment, because a patient first needs to be a good candidate for a liver transplant, then be evaluated at a liver transplant center and placed on a waiting list, and finally, be well enough to undergo a transplant when a donated liver becomes available.
  • Patients with successfully treated hepatitis C who have cirrhosis still need ultrasounds every 6 months to screen for liver cancer. Cure of the hepatitis C virus with antiviral medications reduces the risk of liver cancer but does not make the risk zero.
  • People with hepatitis B who are in a high-risk group for liver cancer
    should still be screened even if their hepatitis B is being treated. Antiviral treatment of HBV reduces the risk of liver cancer but does not reduce the risk to zero.