Having to battle a fatal disease is a hard thing, but not knowing what you are up against can be worse. Rather than surrendering yourself to the disease, it is always better to research about it. The medical aspect is something we don’t really need to learn about as doctors are there when you need them, but the change in lifestyle is something that you need to learn to cope up with.
Here are some things you need to be aware of liver cancer-
- When unhealthy cells start growing in the liver, it results in liver cancer. Usually, if the cancer starts within the organ, then is primary liver cancer. However, if the cancer spreads to the liver through other organs, then it is called a metastatic liver cancer.
- When you are suffering from a fatal disease, it is very important to get proper treatment. Consult oncologists from the best liver cancer hospital in India and avail appropriate treatment. When you visit an oncologist, here are a few questions that you need to ask:
- What are my treatment options?
- How often do I have to avail treatment—and for how many days or months?
- What are the possible side effects?
- Is there any alternative therapy?
- What are the benefits and risks of my treatment options?
- What are the possible treatment results I can expect?
- What is the recovery duration? Will I need to stay in the hospital?
- When can I get back to my normal activities?
- Has my cancer spread to other organs?
- Survival after being diagnosed with any kind of cancer is often measured in terms of “5-year survival rate”. This simply means that if a patient manages to live for 5 years after being diagnosed by cancer, the survival rate is higher. The survival rate for liver cancer in India is only 4%. It can also lead to other liver diseases like cirrhosis, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, fatty liver etc.
- Unlike other cancers, the early symptoms of liver cancer are not easy to detect. The symptoms include fatigue, weight loss, weakness, loss of appetite, jaundice, fever, pain on shoulder and back, bloating, nausea etc.
- If you or any of your loved ones happens to experience the above symptoms, then it is highly recommended that you get yourself checked by a doctor. Doctors recommend getting regular liver check-up for any one with high risk. The health of a liver can be diagnosed by physical examination, biopsy, blood test or an imaging test.
- It is no secret that treatment for cancer is not at all cheap. It will end up consuming a huge chunk of your money and to avoid that make sure you have health insurance to cover it. Health insurance is a lifesaver when it comes to fatal diseases as these illnesses are highly expensive to treat and require a lot of capital.
- It is important to understand that it becomes a matter of life and death when it comes to liver cancer. Even if you are getting treated by the best liver cancer hospital in India, you might not be strong enough to go through it alone. So, reach out to your family and friends for emotional support.
- Finally comes the treatment of the cancer. Well, how your cancer is going to be treated entirely depends upon the condition of your liver. The treatment option involves liver transplant, removal of the tumour, radio frequency ablation, chemotherapy or radiation.
These are the important things that you need to know related to living with liver cancer. Stay strong and fight the disease bravely!
