Primary liver cancer (cancer that starts in the liver) is a serious disease, most commonly Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC).
Here are the key points in short:
Main Cause: The vast majority of cases are linked to chronic liver damage (cirrhosis), usually caused by:
Chronic Hepatitis B or C infection.
Heavy alcohol use.
Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD/NASH), which is linked to obesity and diabetes.
Symptoms: Often none in early stages. Later signs include unexplained weight loss, loss of appetite, abdominal pain (right side), fatigue, or jaundice (yellowing of skin/eyes).
Diagnosis: Done through blood tests (checking liver function and tumor markers like AFP) and imaging (CT, MRI, ultrasound).