Liver Tumor Risk Factors and Symptoms

A liver tumor is one form of cancer that can develop in the body. Sometimes liver tumors are benign, meaning that they are not harmful to your health. In other cases however, tumors become malignant or harmful and can be life-threatening. There are many risk factors that can make a person more prone to developing a liver tumor in his or her lifetime. Some of these factors are a result of infection and are therefore a public health problem. Others are a result of diet or habit and can be prevented by the individual.

Risk Factors

Individuals who may be more likely to develop liver cancer include people with the following conditions:

• Hepatitis B infection


• Hepatitis C infection


• Alcohol abuse or chronic alcohol consumption


• Cirrhosis of the liver


• Taking contraceptives containing drospirenone

Any of these health issues can increase your risk of developing a liver tumor in your lifetime. Drospirenone is a newly recognized and unique risk, because this chemical is only found in certain oral contraceptives. If you are a woman taking an oral contraceptive containing drospirenone, consider talking to your doctor about safer birth control options available to you.

Symptoms of Liver Tumors

In many cases, tumors are very difficult to detect outside the body. However, there are some noticeable symptoms of liver cancer that patients and doctors can watch out for, such as:

• Abdominal pain (caused by liver inflammation or the tumor pressing against the abdomen)


• Nausea and vomiting


• Weight loss


• Fever


• Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes, caused because the liver is not properly detoxifying the blood)

If any of the above symptoms persist, seek medical attention immediately to determine if you have a liver tumor. Likewise, it is important to talk to your doctor about steps you can take to minimize your risk of liver problems. Your doctor may recommend changes to your diet, lifestyle changes, medication changes or other alterations that could help to lower your chances of liver cancer. For example, taking a birth control pill containing drospirenone may be an unnecessary and avoidable risk to your health that could easily be eliminated by opting for a different contraceptive.

For More Information

To learn more about liver tumors and their association with certain oral contraceptives containing drospirenone, please visit the website of the Yasmin side effect attorneys of Williams Kherkher today.