Dr. Pathik Parikh Hepatologist and Liver Transplant Physician

  Liver Cancer The liver is one of the largest internal organs in the body. It is the only internal organ that can regenerate. The liver functions can be broadly divided into following tasks To filter toxic substances from the blood To help digest food that by bile formation. To store vitamins and fat which can be utilised during starving To produce proteins, sugars and substances used for clotting Types of Primary Liver Cancer: The two most common types of primary liver cancers are – Hepatocellular carcinoma – Most common; 3 rd  leading cause of death worldwide Cholangiocarcinoma Risk factors for liver cancer: Chronic Viral hepatitis B and C Fatty Liver Cirrhosis due to any cause Toxic substance – Alcohol or aflatoxins Some rare disease – Hereditary hemochromatosis Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency Glycogen storage disease Porphyria cutanea tarda Wilson disease Hepatitis B is the most common cause of liver cancer in India. Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and Fatty Liver disease can cause liver

  Liver Disease in Gujarat There is a myth that because alcohol is banned in Gujarat, there is no  liver disease in Gujarat . Though, alcohol is one of the major reasons for liver failure, there are many other diseases which one needs to be aware of. The most common cause of  liver failure in India  is  Hepatitis B . The most common cause of liver cancer is Hepatitis B. Those who were born before 2002 need to check themselves for hepatitis B. vaccination is available and is now a part of national immunization schedule. Hepatitis B has no symptoms and the only way to diagnose is a simple blood test. If you have received blood transfusion in past, you have the risk of being exposed to  Hepatitis C. The diet in Gujarat is full of sugars and oils. With adaption of western sedentary lifestyle, obesity and diabetes is on the rise. With that fatty liver is also on the rise.  Fatty liver  can cause liver damage similar to that caused by alcohol. Fatty liver is worldwide becoming the most commo