Liver Cancer 101

Each year, there are about 42,000 cases of liver cancer in the United States. According to the National Cancer Institute, liver cancer cases in the country have more than tripled since 1980. And deaths from liver cancer have nearly doubled in the same time.Researchers don’t fully understand why cases are on the rise, but the increase could be linked to liver damage associated with two common aspects of modern life: alcohol consumption and high-fat, high-sodium diets. What is liver cancer? A liver cancer diagnosis refers to cancer that starts in the liver. It means that a malignant (cancerous) tumor has grown inside your liver, the body’s largest internal organ.The liver has many important functions. These include:Helping with digestion by breaking down and storing key nutrientsMaking clotting factors to prevent excessive bleeding anywhere in the bodyDelivering the digestive fluid known as bile into the intestines through bile ducts to process fats and other nutrientsBreaking down alcohol, medications and toxins in the blood so they can pass from the body via pee or poopWhen cancer starts in the liver, it is called a primary liver cancer diagnosis. When cancer spreads to the liver f...