What Are the Liver Cancer Symptoms in Females?

The liver is the blood purifier of the body, which is situated above the abdomen, below the diaphragm i.e., the upper right area of the stomach. It removes the harmful substances from the blood out of the body. It also produces bile acid, which is used for the digestion of fat. 

It creates other important substances, which are used in many other functions of the body such as clotting of blood in case of injury. 

When a cell grows very fast abnormally and doesn’t leave enough space for other normal cells, it is called a cancer cell. Cancer that starts in the liver of a body is called liver cancer. It affects men as well as women. In this article, get to know more about the symptoms of liver cancer in women. 

Symptoms of Liver Cancer in Women

You don’t have to worry if you have any one or more symptoms listed below because it necessarily doesn’t mean that you have liver cancer. 

There are many other health conditions that can cause similar symptoms. If you are in doubt, consult a doctor to get things clarified. The doctor will check and find out the exact cause of the symptoms. 

Until liver cancer has reached a late stage, it might not show any signs in the early stage. The patient may begin to feel it when the tumour in the liver has grown significantly. 

It is better to keep an eye for the symptoms as early detection is the best time for successful treatment for liver cancer. 

Here Are a Few of the Prominent Liver Cancer Symptoms That Females Should Look Out For:

• Jaundice (yellow eyes and skin)
• Itchiness 
• Build-up of fluid in the belly area
• Abdomen swelling (also known as ascites)
• Abdomen bloating (mass in stomach)
• Abdomen pain around the belly
• Pain around the right shoulder
• Expanded spleen (It will feel like a mass under the left rib)
• Expanded liver (It will feel like a mass under the right rib)
• Vomiting and nausea
• Feeling of a full stomach after eating a low quantity meal
• Appetite loss (not feeling hungry)
• Losing weight for unknown reasons or unintentionally
• Fatigue or tiredness
• General feeling of illness
• Chalky & white stool

Also Read: WHAT IS THE SURVIVAL RATE OF PATIENTS SUFFERING FROM LIVER CANCER?

Additional Symptoms of Liver Cancer

A few more additional symptoms that you need to look out for are:

• Abnormal bleeding
• Abnormal bruising
• Large veins around the abdomen area
• Fever
• Dark coloured urine

Sometimes, tumours in the liver will produce hormones that will affect other organs in the body apart from the liver. These types of hormones can cause:

• High Level of Cholesterol
• High Red Blood Cells (RBC) Count – This condition is called Erythrocytosis. A person with this condition will look flushed and red.
• Enlarged Breast – This condition is called Gynecomastia.
• Low Blood Sugar Level – This condition is called Hypoglycaemia. It can cause dizziness or fatigue.
• High Level of Calcium in Blood – This condition is called Hypercalcemia. It can cause you problems in muscle, weakness, constipation, confusion, and nausea.

Risk Factors and Screening for Liver Cancer

Liver cancer is most effectively treated when it is diagnosed at an early stage. The treatment could include liver cancer surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hormone therapy or a combination of these. It cannot be detected early based on symptoms alone. 

People who have a high risk of liver cancer development should go for cancer screening regularly. Screening basically involves an ultrasound test of the abdomen and a blood test every 6 months.

Consult your doctor for any risk factors of liver cancer. There are some conditions or factors that can increase the risk of liver cancer such as:

• Liver Cirrhosis
• Hepatitis C Infection
• Hepatitis B Infection
• Excessive Consumption of Alcohol
• Aflatoxins Exposure
• Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
• Diabetes
• Inherited Liver Diseases

Also Read: HOW IMMUNOTHERAPY IS MAKING AN IMPACT IN LIVER CANCER

The prognosis or outlook of a liver cancer patient depends on factors like the type of cancer, the patient’s overall health condition, the stage of cancer, and how well patients respond to liver cancer treatment. 

Liver cancer is curable in some patients who undergo surgery and get the tumour or parts of liver removed. It can also be cured in patients who undergo organ transplant successfully.

Now that you know the signs and symptoms of liver cancer in females, look out for those indications of cancer for early detection.