Liver Cancer Risk Factors: An Introduction
No one knows the exact causes of
liver cancer. Doctors can seldom explain why one person gets this disease and another does not. However,
liver cancer research has shown that people with certain risk factors are more likely than others to develop liver cancer. A risk factor is anything that increases a person's chances of developing a disease.
Researchers have identified the following risk factors associated with liver cancer:
- Having a chronic liver infection (such as hepatitis)
- Exposure to aflatoxin
- Having cirrhosis
- Being male
- Having a family history of the disease
- Age (In the United States, liver cancer occurs more often in people over 60 than in younger people.).
Liver Cancer Risk Factors: Having a Chronic Liver Infection
Certain viruses can infect the liver. The infection may be chronic, meaning it does not go away. The most important risk factor for liver cancer is a chronic infection with the
hepatitis B virus or the
hepatitis C virus. These viruses can be passed from person to person through blood (such as by sharing needles) or through sexual contact. An infant may catch these viruses from an infected mother. Liver cancer can develop after many years of infection with the virus.
Liver Cancer Risk Factors: Exposure to Aflatoxin
The risk for liver cancer can be increased through long-term exposure to aflatoxin, a harmful substance made by certain types of mold. Aflatoxin can form on peanuts, corn, and other nuts and grains. In Asia and Africa, aflatoxin contamination is a problem. However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not allow the sale of foods that have high levels of aflatoxin.
