What are the dangers of ascites in late stage liver cancer

Liver cancer is a tumor that is very harmful to the human body. Like other malignant tumors, liver cancer will metastasize to other organs in the late stage and is accompanied by a variety of complications. So what are the specific manifestations of the harm of liver cancer in the late stage? What are the harms of ascites in the late stage of liver cancer? Let's learn about this issue together.

1. Bloody pleural effusion and ascites

Diaphragmatic liver cancer can directly infiltrate or metastasize through the bloodstream or lymph nodes to cause bloody pleural effusion, which is common on the right side. This is usually because liver cancer patients have severe liver damage. When tumor cells implant into the peritoneum, ascites may occur, and the ascites is mostly bloody.

2. Rupture and bleeding of liver cancer nodules

The incidence rate is about 9% to 14%. Necrotic liquefaction of liver cancer tissue can cause spontaneous rupture or rupture due to external force. If it is confined to the subcapsular membrane, there may be sudden pain and rapid enlargement of the liver. If it ruptures into the abdominal cavity, it may cause acute abdominal pain and peritoneal irritation signs. Severe cases may cause hemorrhagic shock or death. In mild cases, bleeding will stop after a few days and the pain will gradually subside.

3. Gastrointestinal bleeding

It is also one of the common complications of primary liver cancer, accounting for 15.1% of the causes of death. Patients with liver cirrhosis or portal vein or hepatic vein cancer thrombosis may suffer from esophageal or gastric fundus varicose vein rupture and bleeding due to portal hypertension, or may bleed due to gastrointestinal mucosal erosion and coagulation disorder.

4. Hepatic encephalopathy

Among complications of primary liver cancer, complications with a higher mortality rate often occur in the terminal stage, accounting for 34.9% of the causes of death. They can manifest as impaired consciousness, intellectual impairment, neuromuscular dysfunction, etc.

5. Secondary infection

Due to long-term consumption of cancer, resistance is weakened. Especially after radiation and chemotherapy, people with decreased white blood cells are prone to various infections, such as pneumonia, intestinal infection, fungal infection, etc., and anti-infection treatment is more difficult at this time.