Health information

QUESTION: I know we are only getting half the information we need from our
daughter-in-law, but fear that her description of my son’s condition is wrong.
She keeps telling us about cirrhosis, but we fear that she means it is cancer.
Are they the same thing?

ANSWER: I’m sure many individuals have thought of the same question, and the
answer is no
Cirrhosis is a condition of the liver which follows a wide
variety of chronic and progressive liver diseases
The result of these
diseases is to scar the liver so the normal architecture, that is the pattern
of cells within the liver, is disrupted, and although the liver tries to heal
itself by growing new tissue, this tissue too is of an abnormal pattern
In
the United States, it’s alcohol that is the most common cause of cirrhosis,
while chronic hepatitis is the most important cause of cirrhosis in other
countries
In cirrhosis, the liver is large, but as the disease progresses,
the liver may shrink and become smaller than usual
A cirrhotic liver does
not function well, and patients experience symptoms of fatigue, malaise, and
loss of vigor, although these findings can sometimes be associated with other
diseases
As for cancer of the liver, here the pattern and form of the cells
themselves change and take on specific appearances which can be diagnosed
using microscopic techniques
Primary liver cell cancer develops in from 5 to
20% of patients with cirrhosis, although it can also occur in people who have
never had an underlying liver problem
To look at it another way, cirrhosis
is present in from 40 to 80% of all patients who have primary liver cell
cancer, but the two diseases, although occurring in the same individual, are
different
I am sure your daughter-in-law is telling the truth, but in a
manner she hopes will not cause you any extra worry.

The material contained here is “FOR INFORMATION ONLY” and should not replace
the counsel and advice of your personal physician
Promptly consulting your
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
problem.

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