Unseen sign of liver cancer: Persistent itch and yellowed skin

Liver cancer in its early stages is difficult to detect because its symptoms, such as fatigue or loss of appetite, can be mistaken for less serious ailments. Routine tests are often not sufficient to diagnose it.

Most people do not ignore persistent skin itching, which significantly disrupts daily life. Usually, they visit a dermatologist in the case of such ailments, though this does not always yield the desired results. Often, a visit to other specialists is necessary.

In some cases, itching is the result of a disease whose source is not skin-related. This includes kidney failure, diabetes, lymphomas, and chronic liver diseases of a cholestatic nature. These conditions can cause serious problems.

Symptomatic treatment of such skin problems may prove ineffective. Longer therapy is often necessary in many cases.

Skin itching in the context of liver cancer is often associated with the presence of jaundice, caused by the accumulation of bilirubin, a bile pigment, in the body. This is a very important factor, released mainly in the liver, spleen, and bone marrow.

Bilirubin is particularly dangerous for newborns, but too high a concentration can also pose a threat to an adult. This mainly concerns levels that exceed the norm by up to 20 times.

When the liver does not function properly — for example, due to cancer — bilirubin may accumulate in the skin, causing itching. This can also be a symptom of fatty liver disease or cirrhosis of the liver.

Itching can be the first noticeable symptom of liver disease for a patient — a slight yellowing of the skin can be mistakenly attributed to the season or lack of sleep. However, it is a sign of problems that should prompt us to take action.

People experiencing prolonged skin itching and noticing a connection with yellowing of the skin, loss of appetite, weight loss, or chronic fatigue, should immediately consult a doctor and ask for a referral for a blood bilirubin level test. Its result may form the basis for further, in-depth diagnostics.

A healthy person produces about 200 to 350 mg of bilirubin, and its elevated level is usually diagnosed in newborns and pregnant women. The total bilirubin level should be between 0.2 mg/dl and 1.1 mg/dl in adults. In the case of conjugated bilirubin, the level should be between 0.1 mg/dl and 0.4 mg/dl, and free bilirubin should be between 0.2 mg/dl and 0.8 mg/dl.

Elevated bilirubin levels can indicate many conditions, including liver cancer. Health problems may also be suggested by the presence of bilirubin in the urine.

Early detection of liver cancer and the initiation of treatment (i.e., when the tumour's diameter does not exceed 1 inch) significantly improves the patient's prognosis. Therefore, proper diagnostics and prevention are essential.

Five-year survival, that is, the percentage of people who live at least 5 years after diagnosis in such an early stage, is as high as 90 per cent. Let us not underestimate the characteristics, even the most unusual symptoms of liver cancer.