What are the causes of liver cancer

Liver cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors in my country, with a high mortality rate. It ranks third in the death rate from malignant tumors, after gastric cancer and esophageal cancer. At present, the main causes of liver cancer are believed to be the following:

1. Viral hepatitis

It is mainly caused by hepatitis B and C virus infection, especially hepatitis B and hepatitis B virus carriers, whose incidence of primary liver cancer is 2 to 100 times higher than that of normal people.

2. Aflatoxin

Aflatoxin B is the most important carcinogen, which grows and reproduces in high temperature and high humidity climates, especially moldy food, grains, feed, etc. in summer, which are most likely to be contaminated by Aspergillus flavus and produce aflatoxin. Long-term consumption of food containing this toxin can induce liver cancer.

3. Chemical carcinogens

The chemical substances that can cause liver cancer are mainly N-nitroso compounds, such as nitrosamines and nitrosamines, etc. In addition, alcohol, pesticides, etc. can also induce liver cancer.

4. Water pollution

Severe pollution of drinking water is an important predisposing factor for liver cancer2, especially polluted ditch water, followed by river water, and well water is the lowest.

5. Other factors

Overnutrition or malnutrition, hemochromatosis, parasitic infection and heredity are also risk factors for liver cancer.

6. Immune status

Some people believe that the plasma of liver cancer patients contains a blocking factor that can inhibit cellular immunity and protect liver cancer cells from being killed by immune cells.

7. Gene mutation

In recent years, some people believe that mutagens and viruses in the environment stimulate the activation of liver cell division response pathways, causing point mutations and gene translocations in cells, which are possible factors that accelerate the proliferation of cancer cells.