Expert answer: Is liver cancer hereditary?

Is liver cancer hereditary? Liver cancer is a cancer that occurs in the liver. The mortality rate of liver cancer is second only to stomach cancer and esophageal cancer, and it is one of the three most common malignant tumors. Most liver cancers occur after the age of 40, because the effects of carcinogenic factors require a long-term accumulation process. So is liver cancer hereditary?

As to whether liver cancer is a genetic disease, experts at home and abroad have basically reached a consensus: liver cancer is a multi-gene genetic disease, and its occurrence is the result of the combined effects of genetic and environmental factors. In other words, genetic factors are the basis, which determines the susceptibility of the human body to tumors; environmental factors are the inducement, which contributes to the occurrence of liver cancer.

Studies have found that genetic polymorphisms of some genes related to immunity, inflammation, DNA repair, cell proliferation, apoptosis, carcinogenic compounds, and alcohol metabolism and detoxification are closely related to susceptibility to liver cancer. For example, the liver is an important detoxification organ in the human body. Some people have a strong ability to degrade carcinogens, so less is accumulated in the body, while others have a poor detoxification ability and more is accumulated, which is the polymorphism of the human body's toxic metabolism enzymes. It determines the different susceptibility of individuals to chemical carcinogens and mutagens in the environment, thus leading to different susceptibility to tumors.

The main reason for the familial clustering of liver cancer

People in the same family have similar genetic characteristics and are more likely to have the same liver cancer susceptibility gene. This leads to similar susceptibility to liver cancer among people in the same family, especially direct relatives. Epidemiological surveys have also found that the probability of direct relatives of liver cancer patients developing liver cancer is significantly higher than that of the general population.

The vertical and horizontal transmission characteristics of hepatitis B lead to familial clustering of hepatitis B patients

Mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B (i.e. vertical transmission) causes mothers infected with the hepatitis B virus to pass the virus to the next generation during or after childbirth. Hepatitis B is a disease transmitted by body fluids, and close contact between family members makes the incidence of hepatitis B much higher than that of the general population. Clinically, patients with hepatitis B-related liver cancer are often found, and many of their parents, siblings, and children are hepatitis B patients. It is recognized worldwide that hepatitis B can cause liver cancer, namely the "hepatitis B-cirrhosis-liver cancer" trilogy. The familial clustering of hepatitis B has led to the familial clustering of liver cancer to a certain extent.

The same family has the same living environment and eating habits

Studies have found that drinking water pollution, aflatoxin, nitrosamines and other toxic substances are closely related to the occurrence of liver cancer. The distribution of liver cancer is regional. For example, liver cancer is highly prevalent in the Northeast, the southeast coastal areas, Guangxi, Yunnan and other places. This is related to local environmental factors and eating habits. The concentrated residence of family members and the same eating habits also contribute to the family clustering of liver cancer to a certain extent.

The occurrence of liver cancer is the result of the combined effects of genetic factors and external conditions. It is a multi-factor, multi-stage evolution process with a genetic tendency. However, we cannot confuse heredity with infection. Liver cancer is not an infectious disease and is not directly contagious, while hepatitis B is contagious.

The above is the answer to whether liver cancer is hereditary. I believe everyone has a certain understanding of liver cancer. If you find that you have symptoms suspected of liver cancer, you must go to a regular hospital for diagnosis and treatment in time. I hope this article can help you or your friends. This article is for reference only. If you have other questions about liver cancer, please consult our experts online.