Liver cancer is a serious health problem in San Antonio and South Texas, particularly among Hispanic residents. UT Health San Antonio researchers have reported that South Texas Latinos have exceptionally high rates of the disease.
The reasons are complex. Hepatitis B and C, heavy alcohol use and cirrhosis can raise the risk of liver cancer. So can advanced fatty liver disease, now often called metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.
Obesity and type 2 diabetes increase the likelihood of that condition, but most people with fatty liver disease will not develop cancer. Researchers are studying how these risks, along with access to diagnosis and care, contribute to the regional disparity.
Early liver cancer may cause no noticeable symptoms. For people with cirrhosis, liver specialists generally recommend surveillance every six months, commonly with an ultrasound and a blood test. Some people with hepatitis B also qualify for surveillance without cirrhosis. Fatty liver disease alone does not mean a person needs routine liver cancer scans.
Treatment depends on both the tumor and the condition of the liver. Surgery, transplantation or procedures that destroy a tumor may be options when cancer is found early. For other patients, doctors may use treatments directed at the liver, immunotherapy or targeted drugs.
These advances offer more choices, but they do not work for everyone. Clinical trials are testing ways to improve detection and treatment.
At San Antonio’s Mays Cancer Center, collaboration among liver specialists, oncologists, surgeons and researchers reflects a key challenge: treating the cancer while protecting a liver that may already be damaged.
GUEST:
Dr. Sukeshi Patel Arora is co-director of the San Antonio Liver Cancer Symposium.
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