Signs and Symptoms of Liver Metastasis: How to Recognize Them

To understand liver metastasis, it is important to understand the role of the liver in your body. The liver is the largest organ inside the body, and it is vital for life. The liver is divided into two parts or lobes which are located below the right rib and the lung. The functions of the liver include:

• Purifying The Blood By Removing Toxins
• Producing Acid, Which Helps Digest Fat
• Fuel And Cell Regeneration
• Produce Enzymes
• Storing Glycogen (Sugar)

Liver is one of the most important organs of the body. It is impossible to live without a functioning liver.

Read More - (Home Remedies For Liver Cirrhosis)

There are no symptoms when liver metastases begin. In later stages, cancer may cause inflammation of the liver or obstruction of the normal flow of blood and bile. It has the following symptoms like -

• Loss Of Appetite
• Weight Loss
• Dark Urine
• Swelling In Stomach
• Jaundice
• Right Shoulder Pain
• Upper Right Abdominal Pain
• Nausea
• Vomit
• Confusion
• Sweat And Fever
• Enlarged Liver
• When The Liver Becomes Enlarged, A Lump Is Felt Under The Ribs On The Right Side Of The Abdomen.

Read More - (Liver Failure Home Remedies)

When To Seek Medical Help
It is important to visit a doctor if you are experiencing some of the symptoms mentioned above. The following symptoms indicate a more urgent and serious problem:

• Persistent Vomiting
• Vomiting Blood
• Weight Loss
• Black Stool
• Difficulty Swallowing
• Swelling In Legs Or Stomach
• Jaundice

If you develop symptoms of liver metastases you should see your doctor immediately. If you have ever had any type of cancer, you should visit your doctor for regular checkups.

Read more - (Liver pain )

The risk that cancer will spread, or metastasize, to the liver depends on the location of the original cancer. The primary cancers that are most likely to spread to the liver are the following:

• Breast
• Colon
• Rectum
• Kidney
• Lung
• Skin
• Ovary
• Uterus
• Pancreas
• Stomach

Even after the primary cancer has been removed, liver metastases may still occur. If you have cancer, it is important to know the symptoms of liver metastases and get regular checkups.

Read more - (Diet For Liver Infection)

Process Of Metastasis
There are six steps in the metastasis process. Not all cancers follow this process, but most do.

• Local invasion: Cancer cells move from the primary site into nearby normal tissue.
• Invasion: Cancer cells move through the walls of nearby lymph vessels and blood vessels.
• Circulation: Cancer cells move to other parts of the body through the lymphatic system and bloodstream.
• Elimination: When cancer cells reach a distant site, they stop moving. They then pass through the walls of the capillaries (small blood vessels) and invade the surrounding tissues.
• Spread: Cancer cells grow at a distant site and form small tumors called micrometastases.
• Angiogenesis: Micrometastases stimulate the formation of new blood vessels, which supply the nutrients and oxygen necessary for tumor growth.

Read more - (Liver Failure)

If the liver appears enlarged on examination, if the surface of the liver is not smooth, or if any of the above symptoms occur, the doctor may suspect liver cancer. To confirm this, various types of tests may have to be done such as -

• Liver Function Tests - Liver function tests are blood tests that show how well the liver is working. When there is a problem, the level of liver enzymes increases. Blood or serum markers are substances in the blood that are associated with cancer. When primary liver cancer is present, high levels of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) may be found in the blood. Liver function tests can help differentiate between primary liver cancer and liver metastases. AFP markers can also be used to monitor treatment effects of primary liver cancer.
• Abdominal Ct Scan - A computed tomography (CT) scan is a special type of X-ray that takes photos of soft-tissue organs.
• Liver Ultrasound - Also called sonography, an ultrasound transmits high-frequency sound waves through the body. These sound waves produce echoes and take photographs of the inside of the body.
• MRI - MRI produces extremely clear images of internal organs and soft-tissue structures. It uses radio waves, a large magnet and a computer.
• Angiogram - In an angiogram, dye is injected into an artery. When photographs of the body are taken through the passage of that artery, it can produce images of internal structures.
• Laparoscopy - Laparoscopy involves a thin tube with a light and a biopsy instrument. The laparoscope is inserted through a small incision, and a biopsy is taken for study under a microscope. Laparoscopy is done only to check cancer.

Several options are currently used to treat cancer that has metastasized to the liver. In most cases treatment will be to control cancer symptoms and prolong life. Generally, the choice of treatment depends on the person's age and overall health. The size, location, and number of metastatic tumors are determined by the location and type of primary cancer, what type of cancer treatment the patient has received in the past, etc.

Systemic Treatment
Systemic cancer treatments treat the entire body through the bloodstream. These treatments include:

• Chemotherapy - Chemotherapy is a form of treatment that uses drugs to kill cancer cells. It targets cells that grow rapidly, including some healthy cells. Unlike chemotherapy drugs, targeted treatments can distinguish between cancer and healthy cells. These drugs can kill cancer cells and leave healthy cells intact. Targeted therapies have different side effects than some other cancer treatments. Side effects, which can be serious, include fatigue and diarrhea.
• (BRM) therapy - BRM therapy is a treatment used to develop antibodies and vaccines to boost the immune system. It helps your immune system's ability to fight cancer. BRM therapy does not have the common side effects of other cancer therapies.
• Hormonal Therapy - Hormonal therapy can slow or stop the growth of some types of tumors that depend on hormones to grow, such as breast and prostate cancer.
• Radiation Therapy - This therapy uses high-energy radiation to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors.
• Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) - RFA can be commonly used to treat primary liver cancer and liver metastases. When there are a small number of tumors that affect only a small area of the liver, surgical removal is possible.

Read more - (Exercises for Liver Disease)

In almost all cases, once the primary cancer has spread or metastasized to the liver, there is no cure. However, current treatments may help relieve symptoms. Treatment depends on the location of the primary cancer and how much of it has spread to the liver. Current research is looking for new ways to fight and kill cancer cells, such as hyperstimulating the immune response and inhibiting individual steps in the metastatic process.