What is the Liver?
Your liver is a football-sized organ that sits in the upper right portion of your abdomen, beneath your diaphragm and above your stomach. The liver’s main job is to filter the blood coming from the digestive tract, before passing it to the rest of the body. The liver also detoxifies chemicals and metabolizes drugs.
What is Liver cancer?
Liver cancer is usually secondary or metastatic, meaning it started elsewhere in the body. Primary liver cancer, which starts in the liver, accounts for about only 2% of cancers in the U.S. affecting twice as many men as women, at an average age of 67.
Liver cancer occurs when liver cells develop changes (mutations) in their DNA — the material that provides instructions for every chemical process in your body. DNA mutations cause changes in these instructions. One result is that cells may begin to grow out of control and eventually form a tumor — a mass of cancerous cells.
Signs and symptoms of Liver cancer
Symptoms vary depending on the type and stage of liver cancer, but they can include the following:
- Upper abdominal pain or swelling
- Unexplained weight loss
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea and vomiting
- General weakness and fatigue
- Yellow discoloration of your skin and the whites of your eyes (jaundice)
- White, chalky stools
Traditional treatment options for liver cancer
There are various treatment options for liver cancer depending on the type and stage of the cancer but may include liver resection, liver replacement, chemotherapy, and/or ablation.
Utopia Wellness’ Intensive Medical Program for Liver Cancer
Liver Cancer is a very stressful diagnosis and your Utopia Wellness team understands this. We work with you to design a customized holistic plan to ensure you have the most effective alternative treatments for your specific cancer.
