The #1 Early Sign of Liver Cancer Most People Miss

Beth Ann Mayer
·6 min read

There's been some uplifting news about liver cancer in recent years. Statistics show that, after years of increasing cases, global liver cancer rates have decreased significantly in men and women from 2000 to 2016.

That's the good news. Unfortunately, about 19,000 men and 9,000 women die from the disease in the U.S. every year, according to the CDC.

Understanding your risk and potential red flags can help you take life-saving action early.

"The more you know about the signs and symptoms of liver cancer, the earlier you may detect it," says Dr. Jamile Wakim-Fleming, MD, the director of the Center for Metabolic Steatosis of the Liver at Cleveland Clinic.

If detected early, Dr. Wakim-Fleming says doctors may be able to start effective therapy before the cancer "grows larger or widely spreads in the body."

Dr. Wakim-Fleming says that treatment may not be as curative if liver cancer is detected in later stages. However, signs of liver cancer can be easy to miss, especially one that experts agree is important to flag with your healthcare team.

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What Is the Most Commonly Missed Early Liver Cancer Sign?

Unexplained weight loss is an early sign of liver cancer that people may overlook. "Weight loss is missed the most often, but sometimes fatigue and poor appetite, which lead to weight loss, are missed as well," Dr. Wakim-Fleming explains.

Another expert echoed similar sentiments. "One symptom that is commonly missed is a loss of appetite and the consequential, unintentional weight loss," says Dr. Arvinder Bhinder, MD, a hematologist-oncologist at OhioHealth Cancer Services. "If you find yourself not being hungry for a consistent amount of time, it could be a sign of liver cancer."

Why Is It So Easy To Brush Off Weight Loss?

Experts know that people aren't intentionally ignoring weight loss. It's just that it's common, and something people often strive for.

"Weight loss and fatigue are common even in the absence of cancer," says Dr. Wakim-Fleming. "They are not specific to cancer. When they happen, the individual may ignore them and attribute them to intermittent illness such as a viral infection, change in diet or fatigue from other benign conditions."

Complicating matters, the loss of appetite that so often accompanies weight loss is also easy to miss. "Many people have lost large amounts of weight and don’t realize that it’s because they are no longer hungry or have lost their hunger cues," Dr. Bhinder says. "Loss of appetite is, overall, a vague symptom. There are so many other reasons that loss of appetite can be looked at, like stress and a busy schedule. Oftentimes, people don’t realize how long it has been since they have felt hungry, so time passes without them flagging anything to their doctors."

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Other Symptoms That May Be a Sign of Liver Cancer

Weight loss, appetite changes and fatigue aren't the only liver cancer signs worth investigating. "Jaundice is yellowness of the skin and the eyes and can be missed, especially early on when it is not very obvious," says Dr. Wakim-Fleming.

Dr. Wakim-Fleming adds that other liver cancer symptoms include:

  • Muscular atrophy along the arms and temples on the face

  • Accumulation of fluid in the belly or ascites

  • Large veins around the navel, enlarged breasts for men

  • Large spleen

  • Digital clubbing

  • Asterixis (tremor)

What Are the Risk Factors for Liver Cancer?

Though it's vital to notice signs of liver cancer early, doctors reiterate that they're easy to miss—and they may not even be present in the first place.

"Liver disease remains non-symptomatic for a long time," says Dr. Mario Strazzabosco, MD, Ph.D., a clinical program leader and the director of the Liver Cancer Program at Yale Cancer Center and Smilow Cancer Hospital. "Given [that], it is very important to know the risk factors for liver cancer."

Dr. Strazzabosco says that risk factors include:

  • Having (or having had) viral hepatitis B or C

  • Excess alcohol consumption

  • Smoking

  • Diabetes

  • Being overweight

Related: This Is the Early Sign of Gallstones People Miss the Most Often, According to a Gastroenterologist

How Can I Reduce My Risk for Liver Cancer?

It's possible to lower your odds of developing risk cancer with some common-sense measures. "Think about how you can change your diet and lifestyle in positive ways," says Dr. Bhinder. "When you feel potential symptoms, get them checked out by your family doctor as soon as possible."

The CDC recommends that in order to lower the risk of liver cancer, people:

  • Maintain a healthy weight.

  • Receive a vaccination against Hepatitis B, which is recommended for infants at birth and again for adults with higher risks for the disease.

  • Get tested for Hepatitis C. If diagnosed, seek medical care.

  • Don't smoke (or quit—resources are available)

  • Limit alcohol consumption

What Treatments Are Available for Liver Cancer?

It depends on the location and size of the tumor, Dr. Wakim-Fleming says, adding: "Most often, the chemo agent can be sent directly into the cancer, or it can be burned with radiofrequency ablation."

Patients in more advanced stages of the disease will likely require different treatments.

"When it is advanced, the cancer can be treated with chemotherapy, immunotherapy and radiation therapy," Dr. Wakim-Fleming explains. "Liver transplantation has a role in liver cancer that has not metastasized or spread into other parts of the liver or other organs in the body."

Can You Survive Liver Cancer?

Yes. Thousands die from liver cancer each year, but surviving the disease is possible.

"The prognosis depends on the stage in which the disease is diagnosed and by the liver function," says Dr. Strazzabosco. "For patients diagnosed at an early stage and with good liver reserve, in which all risk factors are being addressed, the prognosis may be good."

The American Cancer Society statistics from 2012-18 showed that the five-year survival rate for localized liver cancer (that has not spread) was 36 percent. Distant liver cancer that had spread to body parts far away from the liver, like the lungs, had a 3 percent survival rate.

What To Do if You're Concerned About Liver Cancer

Experts agree: Talk to your doctor if you're concerned about your risk factors for liver cancer or are experiencing early symptoms. That one call could save your life.

"If liver cancer is caught in the early stages, those patients will likely live for years without their cancer coming back and will not need immunotherapy," Dr. Bhinder says.

Next up: How To Keep Your Liver Healthy

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