Hematocellular carcinoma-Liver cancer - Essay Example

The cells of the liver, hepatocytes, compose about 80% of the liver. The other 20% of the liver is occupied by bile ducts, cells which specialize in storing fat and blood vessels. It is the hepatocytes which can become cancerous and thus give rise to the type of liver cancer that this discussion is based on. In patients who are diagnosed with liver cancer, virtually all of them will die within the first year following their diagnosis. Globally, hepatic cellular carcinoma is the fifth most common form of cancer but one of the deadliest forms.

The occurrence of liver cancer tends to be most prominent in parts of Africa and Asia. In fact, about 75% of those with hepatic cellular carcinoma, originate from those areas of the world while only 25% of patients diagnosed with hepatic cellular carcinoma will reside in Europe or North America. One of the leading causes of liver cancer originating from the hepatocytes, is hepatitis B or C. Hepatitis B and C. is an infection of the liver which is normally transmitted through sexual contact or exchange of blood.

The epidemiology of liver cancer is as follows: “In the U.S. the highest frequency of liver cancer occurs in immigrants from Asian countries, where liver cancer is common. The frequency of liver cancer among Caucasians is the lowest, whereas among African-Americans and Hispanics, it is intermediate. The frequency of liver cancer is high among Asians because liver cancer is closely linked to chronic hepatitis B infection”(Medicine.net, 2008). In these areas of higher occurrences of liver cancer, men are much more likely to be diagnosed with the disease than women and those who have been infected with Hepatitis B are also much more likely to present with hepatic cellular carcinoma.

As we know, one of the main causes of cancer is viral infection. Hepatitis B. is caused by the HBV virus and HCV is caused by the hepatitis C. virus. These