Are Liver Cancer Symptoms in Women Different?
The liver is the biggest gland in the body and has several functions necessary to the overall health of an individual. Some of these functions include the storage of vitamins and nutrients as well as the production of proteins that are used for blood clotting and bile which helps in digesting food. It also aids in breaking down and filtering toxins that may be found in the blood.
Cancer of the liver can occur in two ways known as primary and secondary liver cancer. Primary liver cancer occurs when the liver is the original location of the liver. Secondary liver cancer also known as metastasized liver cancer occurs when the cancer begins somewhere other than the liver and spreads to the liver.
Anyone male or female can get liver cancer although it is more common in men. The liver cancer symptoms in women are much the same as that of men but may vary slightly in some cases. Some of these symptoms include anemia, anorexia, unexplained weight loss, loss of appetite, upset or gas filled stomach, pain located around the right shoulder blade, swollen abdomen or liver, fever, nausea, vomiting, jaundice or yellowing of the skin or eyes, internal bleeding, weakness, extreme fatigue, changes in the color of urine or bowel movements and ascites which is a buildup of fluid around the liver and intestines. In many cases these symptoms do not manifest until the advanced stages of liver cancer, however in a small amount of individuals they may be noticed sooner. Because the early stages of this cancer show little or no symptoms it is very hard to detect early thus making treatment difficult if not impossible. Some treatments are no longer available after liver cancer reaches a certain advanced stage. This is one of the reasons the survival rate for liver cancer is so low.
There are no specialized treatments available specifically for liver cancer symptoms in women. The same treatments are used regardless of a person’s gender although some symptoms may be limited to the female gender. This may be because some symptoms could show themselves in different ways in reference to how they affect a particular person.
Although the specific causes of liver cancer are unknown there are several factors that can increase the risk of developing this disease. Some of these factors include excessive amounts of alcohol consumption, recurring infections of hepatitis b and c, cirrhosis or scarring of the liver, age, smoking and certain hereditary liver diseases.
Even though liver cancer symptoms in women and men alike may not be present in the early stages of this disease there are tests that can be performed periodically to check for this cancer. It is important to have regular checkups including physical examinations on a regular basis in order to catch this and other problems at the earliest possible time. This is especially important if this type of cancer has affected someone in your family or if you are at an increased risk for developing liver cancer.
