Common signs of liver disease
Unusual weight loss :When liver cancer is in its early stages, it will cause fatigue and loss of appetite. Weight loss is considered a common symptom. As liver cancer progresses, weight loss can become more severe, and liver wasting occurs in severe cases. At this time, the patient can lose about 5% of normal weight within 1-3 months. (first)
Jaundice : An easily noticeable sign of liver cancer is that the skin and eyes turn yellow. When the patient shows symptoms of jaundice and urine is darker, the cause is increased bilirubin levels in the blood. Jaundice occurs when a large tumor located near the common bile duct causes external compression or invasion of the bile duct, causing interruption of bile flow, or due to liver cancer on cirrhosis leading to liver failure. . (2)
Fatigue, loss of appetite : Fatigue is the most recognizable sign when the body shows signs of abnormalities. If fatigue is caused by overwork, it usually improves after a short period of time when the body gets enough rest.
For liver cancer patients, fatigue often lasts longer and tends to increase, this is similar to patients with chronic hepatitis. The cause of fatigue is unknown, it may be due to digestive disorders, nutritional absorption disorders leading to insufficient energy, or damaged liver cells and impaired liver function leading to metabolic disorders. (3)
Dark urine : Drinking antibiotics or soft drinks can be the cause of dark urine. However, if you have a scientific living habit but your urine is dark and does not improve after a while, this is a warning sign of urinary infection or liver cancer. High levels of bilirubin in the blood cause urine to turn yellow or like thick tea.
Right shoulder pain : Right shoulder pain can be a warning symptom of liver cancer. Cancer cells can stimulate nerves and tell the brain that pain may be coming from the shoulder blade, but in reality it may be coming from the liver. This pain can also spread to our back. If you encounter this condition, without a specific cause, see a specialist for examination and accurate diagnosis.
Pain in the epigastrium : When suffering from liver cancer, the patient may experience symptoms of pain in the epigastric area - an area located above the navel and below the sternum. The pain in the epigastric area is difficult to clearly perceive, can be dull or intense, and sometimes can be sharp in the back.
Epigastric pain can also be a sign of some other common diseases such as: mild digestive disorders. However, for people suspected of liver cancer, a preliminary diagnosis of pain due to pressure from malignant cells growing in the liver is very reasonable.
The skin appears many acne : Acne is a normal phenomenon of the body during puberty. In adults, it is often caused by endocrine disorders, so it is more difficult to distinguish from diseases such as liver cancer. When liver cancer cells form, the purification of toxins is impaired, more toxins accumulate, acne also appears on the face, and can even lead to endocrine and hormone imbalance.
Itchy : People with chronic liver disease or cirrhosis, large bile ducts are blocked or cholestatic due to bile acids spilling into the circulatory system, causing itchy skin all over the body. Itching is an easy sign for people to ignore, but in fact, in some cases, itching is a sign of liver cancer due to liver dysfunction.
Symptoms of liver cancer are similar to the flu : Some patients with liver cancer may have flu-like symptoms such as fever, muscle weakness, and excessive fatigue. In addition, patients may also feel headaches, chills or sweat a lot.