Screening and Diagnosis
Patients with any of the above risk factors are encouraged to discuss their risk status with their primary care physician or liver disease specialist. The goals of screening are to diagnose HCC earlier and to improve prognosis. With the incidence of HCC on the rise, screening is important for individuals at risk.
Liver cancer may be discovered in a routine checkup if the doctor feels hard lumps in the abdomen or by imaging examinations such as ultrasound, computed tomography (CT) scans, or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. To confirm a diagnosis of liver cancer, doctors may use the following exams/tests:
-
Blood tests, including20:
- Complete Blood Count (CBC): A CBC measures the number of red and white blood cells, platelets and hemoglobin in the body.
- Alpha-fetoprotein Tumor Marker Test (AFP): A test that evaluates the levels of the protein AFP in the blood. Elevated levels of AFP in the blood may suggest the presence of primary liver cancer.
- Ultrasound20
- Uses reflected sound waves to produce images of organs and other structures in the body.
- It is commonly used as an initial test for detecting solid lesions in the liver.
- It may also be used for surveillance and screening of high-risk patients, however it cannot accurately distinguish HCC from other solid liver lesions. It is also difficult to use ultrasound for HCC diagnosis in the presence of cirrhosis.
- Computed tomography (CT) scans (sometimes referred to as computerized axial tomography or CAT scans)20
- Uses X-rays to make detailed pictures of structures inside the body.
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans20
- Uses a magnetic field and pulses of radio wave energy to make pictures of organs and structures inside the body.
- CT and MRI can be more accurate than ultrasound for detecting HCC.
- Both CT and MRI are useful for defining the extent and number of tumors, and for seeing arteries and veins.
- For some CT or MRI scans, you may receive an injection of contrast media or dye, which may help show the organs and internal structures more clearly.
- In some cases, MRI may give different information than can be seen with other imaging examinations.
- Biopsy20
- A small sample of liver tissue is removed with a needle and then examined under a microscope for cancer cells.
- This may also show whether the cancer originated in the liver or elsewhere in the body, which helps doctors decide how to treat it.
