Liver cancer is a very serious and potentially life threatening disease. Since this type of cancer tends to be much more common in men, it is very important to understand liver cancer symptoms in men in order to help to diagnose the progression of the disease in its earliest stages.
It has been found that men are much more likely to develop liver cancer than women. There are other risk factors which affect the likelihood of developing this disease. For example if a person has suffered from the hepatitis B virus, the risk of developing liver cancer is greater. Other risk factors include exposure to chemicals like polyvinyl chloride. In addition men who abuse alcohol and eventually develop scarring or cirrhosis of the liver is definitely at greater risk of developing this kind of cancer.
Here are some common symptoms of liver cancer which tends to affect men. They can include:
- Erectile difficulties. As liver cancer develops, it can affect different biochemical processes in the body. The genital area is very sensitive to these changes and can cause erectile dysfunction. If you experience these problems, it may be due to a variety of other problems but get it checked out nevertheless.
- Men who have developed liver cancer may find that their breasts increase in size well beyond that of normal swelling. They may also become painful to the touch. This type of symptom is not often seen in any other kinds of diseases so anyone experiencing this problem should seek medical attention immediately.
- A common sign of liver cancer is blood in the urine. The urine will appear very dark and further medical assistance is warranted.
- In some cases advanced cancer in the liver can cause it to spread to other organs including the testicles. So if the testicles become swollen and painful, this can be indicative of a larger problem. So get it checked out.
- Other common symptoms of liver cancer which can affect both men and women can include unexplained weight loss; a loss of appetite; pain in the abdominal area; jaundiced skin; persistent fever, nausea, fatigue, irritability, and vomiting. And while these may be due to other problems, they nevertheless should be investigated further.
If you see your doctor concerning any of these symptoms, he will most likely perform a physical test to assess the situation. He may then arrange for a number of tests including blood tests, chemical analysis, or a biopsy to examine the tissue of a potentially affected area.
If a positive diagnosis made, different treatment options may be pursued depending on the stage of the cancer and the overall health of the patient. As indicated earlier, it is very important to try to identify and diagnose the presence of liver cancer in its earliest stages. The treatment for liver cancer which is small or localized is usually very effective. However progression to a later stage of liver cancer can be very difficult to treat and tends to have a poor long term prognosis.