Which substances in cigarettes can induce liver cancer? To prevent liver cancer, you need to do four things to avoid the disease

Four things to do to prevent liver cancer

"I don't think about whether I can succeed. Since I have chosen the distant place, I will just keep going regardless of the wind and rain." At 2:10 a.m. on the 26th, the 59-year-old poet Wang Guozhen died of liver cancer in Beijing. The symbol of youth of a generation is gone. His assistant said that he did not drink or smoke on weekdays, so why did he still suffer from liver cancer? Experts said that there are many causes of liver cancer, not only smoking and drinking, hepatitis B, family factors, aflatoxin, nitrite, drinking water pollution, parasitic infection and genetic factors can also lead to the occurrence of liver cancer.

At present, most liver cancers in my country are caused by viral hepatitis and cirrhosis.

In Europe and the United States, alcoholic liver disease is the main factor inducing liver cancer, while about 85% of liver cancer patients in my country are transformed from viral hepatitis and cirrhosis. Experts emphasize that "my country is a country with a high incidence of liver disease, with about 120 million hepatitis B virus carriers. Guangdong has a large floating population and a large number of hepatitis patients, so the incidence of liver cancer is also high." The development of liver cancer generally goes through the "trilogy" of hepatitis-cirrhosis-liver cancer. Research data shows that 15%-20% of hepatitis patients will develop into cirrhosis within 5 years, and 10%-15% of cirrhosis patients will develop into liver cancer.

In addition to hepatitis B and alcohol, aflatoxin, nitrite, drinking water pollution, parasitic infection and genetic factors can also lead to liver cancer. According to the "Survey on High-risk Factors for Liver Cancer in Guangzhou Community Population", hepatitis virus, aflatoxin pollution, alcoholism, drinking water pollution and liver fluke infection are the five major high-risk factors for liver cancer.

People at high risk of liver cancer should check alpha-fetoprotein every six months

When Wang Guozhen was diagnosed with liver cancer, it was already in the middle or late stages, and the treatment effect of the disease was poor. Therefore, early diagnosis of the disease is crucial for liver cancer patients. Experts said that early detection of liver cancer is not difficult. For high-risk groups, it is only necessary to draw blood to check liver function, color Doppler ultrasound of the liver, and check serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFp).

Who are the high-risk groups? Experts point out that they are generally those with a family history of liver cancer, those with a history of hepatitis for more than 5 years or positive hepatitis B surface antigen, those with a history of alcoholism for more than 5-8 years, and patients diagnosed with liver cirrhosis. It is best for such patients to have a blood test for alpha-fetoprotein every 3-6 months, an ultrasound examination every six months, and a CT or MRI examination when there is suspicion, which will help detect liver cancer early. "Otherwise, when symptoms such as liver pain, weight loss, jaundice, ascites, etc. appear, it will already be in the middle or late stages."

Four things to do to prevent liver cancer

Wang Guozhen's lesson makes us think deeply. What methods can be used to prevent liver cancer? Experts have put forward four points: First, widespread vaccination with hepatitis B vaccine can effectively control the spread of hepatitis B; second, active antiviral treatment for hepatitis B patients can reduce viral damage to the liver, protect liver cells, and inhibit the progression of liver disease. Third, the damage of alcohol to the liver cannot be ignored. Quitting smoking and drinking can avoid irritation to the liver. Fourth, patients with liver disease should avoid smoking, drinking and spicy food in terms of diet, eat more fresh vegetables and fruits, increase protein intake appropriately, and patients with severe liver damage should reduce animal protein intake and avoid greasy food.

A cigarette after dinner is not enough to make you a god

Why does tobacco cause cancer?

According to statistics, the incidence of tumors in smokers is 7 to 11 times higher than that in non-smokers. Lung cancer is especially closely related to smoking. About 80% of lung cancer patients are caused by long-term smoking. So, what substances in cigarettes can induce liver cancer?

Studies have found that cigarettes release thousands of harmful substances during the burning process, dozens of which are very strong carcinogens, such as the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons represented by benzopyrene contained in tar. Benzopyrene is highly carcinogenic and lethal, and even a small dose can cause cancer and death in experimental animals.

Although the nicotine we are familiar with has little to do with cancer, it is a triggering factor for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases and gastrointestinal ulcers and should not be underestimated.

When smoking, radioactive substances are released along with the smoke, which causes the body, especially the trachea and lung tissue mucosa, to adhere and irradiate.

Other tobacco products are prone to contamination and mildew during storage and production, which can also lead to the occurrence of certain tumors. Smoking and air pollution have a synergistic effect in the carcinogenic process. Smoking and the impact of haze catalyze the occurrence of lung cancer. In addition, smoking itself is also the root cause of pollution, affecting the health of people around.

Smoking harms both yourself and others. In addition to smokers, passive smokers will be harmed by more harmful substances. According to a survey conducted abroad, the cancer rate of a family member with one smoker is 1 to 2 times higher than that of a non-smoker family. If multiple people smoke, the risk is even higher. For non-smokers, including women and children, after being exposed to passive smoke from smokers, the benzopyrene, toluene, and dimethylnitrosamine inhaled into the lungs are several times or even dozens of times higher than those of active smokers. Of course, the risk of inducing disease is also high!

Changing brands and using filters still causes harm

Generally speaking, the more cigarettes you smoke daily, the deeper the inhalation, the younger the age at which you start smoking, the longer you have been smoking, and the more tar the cigarettes contain, the greater the risk of inducing a tumor and the higher the mortality rate.

Some people may ask, can changing the brand and type, and adding filters reduce the probability of cancer? Facts have proven that the carcinogenicity of tobacco has little to do with the type of tobacco. Whether it is paper cigarettes, cigars, or pipes, whether it uses filters or not, whether it is low-grade cigarettes or high-grade cigarettes, the carcinogenicity is comparable. If you drink a few glasses of liquor while smoking, the probability of cancer will be greatly increased, because the toxic substances in cigarettes are dissolved by alcohol and are more easily absorbed by the human body.

However, one thing that is gratifying is that although smoking is the main cause of lung cancer, 90% of lung cancer can be prevented as long as the bad habit of smoking is given up as soon as possible. Generally, the incidence and mortality of cancer, especially lung cancer, will decrease 10 to 15 years after stopping smoking. Therefore, for the health of yourself, your family and the people around you, it is necessary to put down the "smoking gun". Besides, being a healthy person without any disease is the real living god!