Itchy⁢ Skin ⁣May Be a Warning Sign of Cancer

A Taiwanese doctor shared⁤ a case of an elderly ​man ⁣who had ​been suffering from itchy skin for a long time. Initially, he thought it was eczema, but after seeking⁣ medical ‍treatment, there was no ​improvement. He was later admitted to the hospital, where a thorough examination revealed that he ⁤had a liver tumor and⁤ was diagnosed with liver cancer.

Doctors said that the most obvious⁤ feature of liver cancer is jaundice, which can​ cause skin irritation, leading to ‍itching. The public is reminded not to take it lightly.

Liver Cancer: A Case Study

Dr. Liu Boren, an ⁣expert in nutritional and functional medicine from Taiwan, shared a case of an elderly ⁢man who had itchy skin that lasted for 3 months. He had been to the dermatology department many times for medical treatment and was initially ⁢diagnosed with eczema, but after taking⁤ medication, there was no improvement.

He was later ⁢diagnosed with urticaria (rheumatoid arthritis), but there was no improvement after continuing to take medicine⁤ and ointments.⁤ The elderly ⁢man later ‌found that his complexion had become yellowish, and after seeking⁢ medical treatment at the hospital, it was confirmed that he had jaundice and yellowing of the skin.

He was referred to the Department of Hepatobiliary and Gastroenterology for a thorough examination, where an abdominal ultrasound revealed a⁣ 7-centimeter tumor on the side of the liver. He‌ was diagnosed ‌with liver cancer and needed to be⁤ surgically⁢ removed.

Liver Cancer: 4 Major Cancer Warning Signs

Liu Boren pointed out that when tumors occur in the liver, ⁤pancreas, or bile​ duct, there is​ a possibility that the body ‍will develop jaundice, and ⁤jaundice contains bilirubin. ⁤When bilirubin invades the blood, it can ‍irritate the skin, causing skin irritation and persistent itching.

The doctor reminds everyone ⁣that when the skin continues to itch, it could be a warning sign of four important​ cancers, and reminds everyone not to take it lightly.

Causes of Liver Cancer

Liver cancer is the third leading cancer ⁣killer in Hong Kong, with about 1,800 new cases each year, 75% of which are men. The ​average age of ⁣onset is 63 to 69 ⁤years ​old. There are more than 1,500 ‍deaths from liver cancer patients who are in advanced stages at the time of diagnosis.

There ⁣are‍ 8 ⁣main causes of‌ liver cancer:

• Hepatitis B
• Hepatitis C
• Alcohol consumption
• Obesity
• Diabetes
• Family history
• Aflatoxin ​exposure
• Other liver diseases

Symptoms of Liver Cancer

Pan Dongping, founder and chairman of‍ the Hong Kong​ Liver and Gastrointestinal Cancer Foundation ⁤and a specialist surgeon, pointed out that early-stage liver cancer is painless and difficult to distinguish even if there is abdominal pain, so it is often‍ diagnosed at⁤ an advanced stage.

Because the liver has a self-healing⁢ function, it⁢ can continue to function ‌normally even if only a small part of it remains. Therefore, the early symptoms are not ⁤obvious, but as the tumor gradually grows, the following 9 common symptoms will appear:

• Abdominal ⁣pain
• Weight loss
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea and vomiting
• Fatigue
• Jaundice
• Dark urine
• Pale stools
• Itching

Prevention ​of Liver Cancer

Because the early symptoms of liver cancer are not obvious, many patients are diagnosed⁣ with ‌the cancer in the middle and late stages. Treatment of liver cancer is relatively difficult, so prevention is‍ much better than​ cure.

The⁣ following 7 tips ‌can⁣ help prevent liver cancer:

• Get vaccinated⁣ against hepatitis B
• Avoid excessive alcohol consumption
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Eat a balanced‌ diet
• Exercise regularly
• Avoid exposure to aflatoxins
• Get regular check-ups