DOHA: The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has launched a social media awareness campaign on liver cancer, highlighting the importance of recognising risk factors and warning signs and seeking timely medical evaluation.
The campaign emphasises that accurate diagnosis is essential for determining the most appropriate treatment, while noting that liver cancer may not cause noticeable symptoms in its early stages. Greater awareness of risk factors and potential warning signs can therefore contribute to earlier detection and treatment.
Liver cancer develops in the cells of the liver, with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) being the most common type among adults. HCC originates in hepatocytes, the main cells of the liver.
According to the awareness information shared by the ministry, early-stage liver cancer often causes no symptoms, underscoring the importance of screening, particularly for people at increased risk.
As the disease progresses, possible symptoms include pain in the upper-right abdomen, a lump or feeling of heaviness in the upper abdomen, abdominal swelling caused by fluid accumulation, loss of appetite or a feeling of fullness, unexplained weight loss, weakness or fatigue, nausea and vomiting, jaundice, pale stools, dark urine and fever.
The MoPH identified several risk factors for liver cancer, including chronic hepatitis B (HBV) or hepatitis C (HCV) infection, cirrhosis, excessive alcohol consumption, smoking, obesity and diabetes, as well as a family history of liver cancer. The disease is also more common among men than women.
The ministry noted that liver cancer can be diagnosed through a combination of medical history and physical examination, blood tests and imaging.
Blood tests may include alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), tests for viral hepatitis, liver-function tests, blood-clotting tests, kidney-function tests and a complete blood count. Imaging techniques such as ultrasound, CT and MRI scans may also be used. In some cases, imaging can establish the diagnosis without the need for a biopsy, while a biopsy may be performed when required.
The MoPH also highlighted measures that can help reduce the risk of liver cancer. These include receiving the hepatitis B vaccine, screening and testing for chronic hepatitis B and C infections, receiving treatment for chronic viral hepatitis, avoiding alcohol and tobacco use, maintaining a healthy weight, limiting exposure to cancer-causing chemicals and treating medical conditions that increase the risk of liver cancer.
Treatment depends on several factors, including the type, size, location and stage of the cancer. Available treatment approaches include surgery, liver transplantation for selected eligible patients, ablation, embolisation, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, targeted drug therapy and chemotherapy.
Through the campaign, the ministry is encouraging greater public awareness of liver cancer and the importance of early detection, particularly among people with known risk factors.
