Does alcohol increases the risk of liver cancer ? For this question, we got affirmative answers from some experts and professors at the Medical Academic Medical Center of the University of Southern California. Excessive drinking can cause liver cancer, which is a fact that has been established. If diagnosed early, patients have more treatment options, so screening is the key.
So, what are the causes of liver cancer? In most cases, liver cancer is caused by cirrhosis, which is caused by inflammation and scarring of liver cells. There are three main causes of cirrhosis: hepatitis B and hepatitis C viruses; non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). NASH is caused by fatty liver, and its risk factors include obesity, gastric bypass surgery, high cholesterol and type 2 diabetes. Some NASH patients directly develop liver cancer without cirrhosis. Overweight and alcoholics also face double risks. The third reason is alcoholic liver disease.
Most occasional social drinkers will not contract alcoholic cirrhosis. A reliable way to protect yourself from alcoholic liver disease is to avoid drinking altogether. People who drink a lot of alcohol have a greater risk of liver cancer. Therefore, people who drink too much should be screened for liver cancer. The screening process is simple and non-invasive, and the doctor will perform an ultrasound examination of the liver to detect cysts, obstructions or infections in the liver and to check for cancer. If an abnormality is found on the ultrasound, the doctor will determine if you need additional tests, such as CT scans, MRI, or alpha-fetal protein tests, which can identify the tumor.
