Recently, Mr. Luo sought treatment at Ningbo Municipal Hospital after suffering right upper abdominal pain for half a month. Multiple tests confirmed advanced liver cancer. The treatment plan included surgery and chemotherapy, but due to the late diagnosis, his prognosis was poor. It was uncertain whether he could survive five or ten years.
A thorough review of Mr. Luo's medical history revealed he had been living with hepatitis B for nearly 20 years. He had three older brothers who also shared his hepatitis B diagnosis. Over the past decade, all three brothers had progressively developed liver cancer and ultimately succumbed to the disease.Mr. Luo himself had ignored his hepatitis B for years without treatment. It wasn't until he experienced prolonged pain in his liver area that he reluctantly sought medical care, only to be diagnosed with advanced liver cancer.
Twenty years—how many opportunities for recovery were lost! Yet some people persist in taking things lightly, failing to take their health seriously.
China is a nation with a high prevalence of hepatitis. According to the GBD 2015 survey, 265,000 deaths from liver cancer were attributable to hepatitis B, with an average of one in ten people being a hepatitis B carrier. Professor Chen Minshan, Chief Liver Cancer Expert at the Cancer Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, stated: "Clinically, over 90% of liver cancer patients have a history of viral hepatitis."
This means that among 10 liver cancer patients, 9 have previously suffered from hepatitis. The hepatitis B virus is now confirmed as one of the viruses that can lead to liver cancer.
Chen Minshan explains: Hepatitis B itself is not terrifying; what is terrifying are the consequences it brings.
HBV induces liver cancer by causing chronic inflammation in the liver. Regardless of whether the inflammation is active, liver cells suffer constant damage—especially during flare-ups when cellular destruction intensifies. This repeated stress leads to scarring in the liver, known medically as liver fibrosis. Fibrosis ultimately progresses to cirrhosis.As cirrhosis worsens, the risk of developing liver cancer increases significantly. Chen Minshan notes: "Among patients with chronic hepatitis B cirrhosis, approximately 2% develop liver cancer each year."
Furthermore, not every liver cancer patient follows the sequential progression of hepatitis B → liver fibrosis → cirrhosis → liver cancer.Some hepatitis B carriers, despite showing no obvious liver damage, still face a high risk of liver cancer if they have been infected for over 20 years. Therefore, we strongly advise everyone: if you know someone who is a hepatitis B carrier, ensure they receive health interventions. Don't ignore it like Mr. Luo did. Early-stage liver cancer usually has no symptoms. Some patients may feel tired or weak.It is precisely because the liver is so resilient that it poses such a challenge for doctors. Like Mr. Luo, most liver cancer patients only rush to the hospital when they experience significant pain, only to be diagnosed with advanced-stage liver cancer. Advanced-stage liver cancer is difficult to treat and has a poor prognosis, leading to low survival rates among patients.
Rome wasn't built in a day. The tiny hepatitis B virus doesn't destroy the large liver overnight. Therefore, we must take care of ourselves. Even when life is exhausting, work is overwhelming, and responsibilities pile up, what good are a splendid life, a high-ranking position, or countless blessings if your health fails?
Please carefully review the following key points for liver protection. Sharing this information with others is highly encouraged!
1. Individuals with hepatitis B or who are carriers should undergo 1-2 annual examinations, including liver ultrasound and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) testing. If suspicious signs of liver cancer are detected, further CT or MRI scans may be necessary. Consult your physician for details.
2. Hepatitis B patients should actively follow medical advice for antiviral treatment. This significantly reduces viral damage to the liver, protects liver cells, and slows the progression of liver disease.
3. Healthy individuals, those with a history of hepatitis B or liver cancer, and others should widely receive hepatitis B vaccinations to control the spread of the virus.
4. Dietary recommendations: Eat more fresh vegetables and fruits, reduce intake of spicy and greasy foods, and ideally quit smoking and drinking.
Many mistakenly believe that liver function correlates directly with alcohol tolerance—that heavier drinkers have stronger livers. In reality, the average male liver can metabolize a maximum of 40 grams of alcohol daily, while females can process up to 20 grams. Regardless of consumption, the liver can only metabolize this amount. Excessive drinking ultimately damages the liver.
Note: 40 grams of alcohol ≈ 40 grams of baijiu. 40 grams of alcohol = 1000 ml of 6% ABV beer = 500 ml of 12% ABV red wine = 100 ml of 50% ABV baijiu (rough estimate).