Author/Editor     Štabuc, Borut
Title     Posthepatic cirrhosis and liver tumors
Type     članek
Source     In: Ferlan-Marolt V, Luzar B, editors. Viral hepatitis. Proceedings of the 35th memorial meeting to professor Janez Plečnik with international participation; 2004 Dec 2-3; Ljubljana. Ljubljana: Faculty of medicine, Institute of pathology,
Publication year     2004
Volume     str. 176-9
Language     eng
Abstract     Hepatocellular cancer (HCC) is the fourth most common neoplasm in the world, and the third most common cause of cancer-related death. More than 80% of HCC are usually occurring in cirrhotic livers related to chronic hepatitis B or C viral infections, high alcohol intake, or hemochromatosis. Hepatitis B infection and hepatitis C infection appear to be the most significant causes of HCC, particularly in patients with continuing antigenemia and in those who have chronic active hepatitis. Many patients do not experience symptoms. Symptoms of HCC may include abdominal pain, fever, jaundice, indigestion, lack of appetite, nausea, and weight loss. Alpha feto protein (AFP), ultrasound (US) and computed tomography (CT) scan are the tests, which are used most frequently to evaluate liver cancer. The treatment of HCC depends on the extent of the disease, the overall health of the liver, and the overall health of the patient. Surgical resection is considered the first treatment option for patients with solitary tumors without portal hypertension and with normal bilirubin. Liver transplantation is treatment of choice for patients with an early stage of tumour and an early stage of liver cirrhosis. Patients at an intermediate stage and preserved liver function may have benefit from chemoembolization. There is no effective treatment for patients with advanced disease. No randomized control trial of screening by AFP, US, CT in patients at high risk for HCC with disease-specific or all cause mortality as the endpoints, has been published.
Descriptors     HEPATITIS, VIRAL, HUMAN
HEPATITIS, CHRONIC ACTIVE
LIVER CIRRHOSIS
LIVER NEOPLASMS
CARCINOMA, HEPATOCELLULAR
HEPATITIS B
HEPATITIS C
NEOPLASM STAGING
LIVER TRANSPLANTATION
CHEMOEMBOLIZATION, THERAPEUTIC