Liver cancer entails abnormal growth of cells within the liver. These growths affect the liver’s functioning, and as such, it is prudent to understand liver cancer’s common symptoms. Liver cancer risk factors include exposure to aflatoxins, cirrhosis, diabetes type 2, excessive alcohol consumption, chronic viral hepatitis, and hereditary hemochromatosis.

However, some people get diagnosed with liver cancer even without these risk factors. Thus, you should monitor your body for common symptoms. Here are the common early signs of liver cancer:

1. Losing weight without trying
Losing more than 10% of your weight in a period of 6 to 12 months is a cause for concern. If you are not undergoing dieting, exercising or stress, this may indicate an underlying condition such as liver cancer. Liver cancer causes inflammation and reduces your appetite. Also, with liver cancer, the amount of energy used at rest is high, hastening weight loss. In the end, unexplained weight loss leads to general body weakness and fatigue.

2. Upper abdominal pain and swelling
You may experience the feeling of fullness and pain in your upper abdomen. Such a feeling may be a sign of an underlying condition such as liver cancer. As this cancer grows, the liver enlarges, leading to the swelling of your upper right abdomen. Additionally, liver cancer increases pressure in your liver, transferring the impact to the surrounding blood veins. The pressure forces fluids out of these veins leading to excess fluid in the abdomen. Ultimately, with the swelling and pain, you will experience loss of appetite.

3. General fatigue
You may experience excessive tiredness even when you do simple tasks. Such a case points towards ailments such as liver cancer. The liver coordinates with the brain to detoxify the body. Liver cancer changes the neurotransmissions in the brain leading to excessive fatigue that affects your quality of life. Therefore, you should seek medical assistance and hepatic cancer treatments if you are diagnosed with liver cancer.

4. Jaundice
Yellow skin or eyes are indications of a liver ailment or cancer. The condition is due to bilirubin accumulation in the blood. If you have liver cancer, your liver will fail to break down bilirubin effectively. In the end, you may experience skin itchiness as your body cannot handle excess unprocessed bilirubin.

5. White or chalky stools
Pale stool may indicate an underlying liver condition such as liver cancer. The liver is responsible for the stool’s dark color. Liver cancer hinders the liver from effectively producing bile salts which contribute to the dark color.

6. Nausea and vomiting
You may experience the feeling of sickness and vomit on some occasions. Such a situation may be as a result of liver cancer. The primary function of the liver is to filter toxins from the body system. If you have liver cancer, these toxins may accumulate in your body and eventually, they will negatively impact your overall body functioning.

Liver cancer is a deadly condition, and there is a need to be keen on its signs. Early detection can lead to effectiveness of hepatocellular carcinoma, or HCC liver cancer treatments. The common symptoms associated with this type of cancer are losing weight without trying, jaundice, upper abdominal pain and swelling, excessive fatigue, white or chalky stools, and nausea and vomiting. The effects of liver cancer are fatal, and as such, it is crucial to seek medical assistance if you experience these symptoms.