Smoking Liver Cancer

Smoking increases the risk of getting liver cancer. Active smokers have higher risk of the cancer than former smokers, but both groups have a higher risk than those who never smoked. Tobacco smoking is classified by IARC as a cause of liver cancer; and smoking by either parent (pre-conception or during pregnancy) is classified as a cause of childhood heptoblastoma. In the UK are linked to smoking an estimated 23% (27% in men and 15% in women) of liver cancers.

HCC risk is 51-56% higher in current smokers compared with never-smokers, meta-analyses have shown. HCC risk is almost 10 times higher in smokers who also heavily drink alcohol. Smoking and HCV infection have a multiplicative effect on HCC risk.

Heptoblastoma risk is almost five times higher in children whose parents both smoked in the preconception period, a cohort study showed.

What is Liver Cancer?

The liver is the largest internal organ in the body. It lies under the right ribs, just beneath the right lung and diaphragm (the membrane below the lungs that moves up and down as you breathe). The liver performs several vital functions. It processes and stores many of the nutrients absorbed from the intestine, makes some of the clotting factors needed to stop bleeding from a cut or injury, and secretes bile into the intestine to help absorb nutrients.

The liver also plays an important part in removing toxic wastes from the body. Because the liver is made up of several different types of cells, several types of tumors can form in the liver. Some of these are cancerous and some are benign (not cancerous).

Other factor of liver cancer

Not only smoking, but also there are other factor that cause liver cancer:

1. Gender: Men are twice as likely as women to get liver cancer.
2. Family history: People who have family members with liver cancer may be more likely to get the disease.
3. Viral infection: The most important risk factor for liver cancer is a chronic infection (on-going) with the hepatitis B or the hepatitis C virus. These viruses can be passed from person to person through blood (such as sharing needles) or sexual contact. An infant may catch these viruses from an infected mother. Liver cancer can develop after many years of infection with the viruses.
4. Aflatoxin: Liver cancer can be caused by aflatoxin, a harmful substance made by certain types of fungus that can contaminate peanuts, wheat, soybeans, ground nuts, corn and rice. Long-term exposure to aflatoxins increases the risk of liver cancer.
5. Cirrhosis: Cirrhosis is a disease that develops when liver cells are damaged and replaced with scar tissue. It may be caused by alcohol abuse, certain drugs or chemicals and certain viruses or parasites. About 5 percent of people with cirrhosis develop liver cancer.
6. Obesity: Obesity increases the risk of developing liver cancer.

How to Prevent Liver Cancer:

In order to prevent liver cancer, there are a number of ways such as:

• Do not abuse alcohol, which can prevent liver cirrhosis that can lead to liver cancer.

• Get a vaccine to prevent hepatitis B. All children and high risk adults should have this vaccination.

• Prevent exposure to hepatitis C by knowing the way it spreads (blood transfusions, sharing contaminated needles by IV drug abusers and having unprotected sex). Studies suggest that the drugs interferon and ribavarin may prevent the development of liver cancer in people who have hepatitis C.

Liver cancer has correlation with smoking. Smoking increase liver cancer 10 times than non smoker. Moreover, if the smokers drink alcohol, the risk of the cancer will be significantly increase. Quit smoking smoking is the best ways to prevent the cancer.

Reference:

• http://www.idph.state.il.us/cancer/factsheets/liver.htm
• http://www.cancer.org/cancer/livercancer/detailedguide/liver-cancer-risk-factors