Causes of liver cancer

It is generally believed that it is a malignant tumor caused by the long-term effects of various harmful factors in the liver's external environment (mainly chemical carcinogens) and certain carcinogens in the body, which causes excessive proliferation of liver cells (or bile duct cells, etc.), resulting in the destruction of normal structures. According to the analysis of a large amount of research data at home and abroad, the main causes of its occurrence are as follows:

(1) Viral hepatitis: mainly hepatitis B and C virus infection, especially hepatitis B and hepatitis B virus carriers.

(2) Aflatoxin (AFT): Aflatoxin is the most important carcinogen. Long-term consumption of foods containing this toxin can induce liver cancer.

(3) Water pollution: Severe pollution of drinking water is one of the important causes of liver cancer.

(4) Chemical carcinogens: Chemical substances that can cause liver cancer are mainly nitroso compounds, such as nitrosamines and nitrosamides. In addition, pesticides, alcohol, safrole, etc. can also induce liver cancer.

(5) Other factors: Overnutrition (macronutrient intake) or nutritional deficiency (such as vitamin A and vitamin B deficiency), hemochromatosis, parasitic infection and heredity are also risk factors for liver cancer.

(6) Immune status: Some people believe that the plasma of liver cancer patients contains a blocking factor that can inhibit cellular immunity and protect liver cancer cells from being killed by immune cells. It has been proven that alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) can inhibit the phagocytosis of lymphocytes and macrophages.

(7) Gene mutation: In recent years, some people believe that mutagens and viruses in the environment stimulate the activation of liver cell division response pathways, causing point mutations and gene translocations in cells, which are possible factors of cell proliferation.

In addition, the occurrence of liver cancer is also related to the abnormal regulation of cell cycle by non-hemoglobin nuclear proteins, as well as intracellular and extracellular factors such as hormones, peptides, growth factors and polyamines.

Many studies have shown that hepatitis and liver cancer are closely related. From an epidemiological point of view, countries or regions with a high incidence of liver cancer are also high-incidence areas of hepatitis. In the same region, people with hepatitis have a much higher risk of developing liver cancer than people without hepatitis. On the contrary, people without hepatitis have a very low risk of developing liver cancer.