DETECTING CANCER IN A SILENT ORGAN

FEAR takes over when patients hear liver surgery.

- DR DINESH

Often, patients imagine the procedure as extremely risky, but medicine has improved. Today, with meticulous planning and using simple scans like MRI and CT scans to map the liver in advance, and in some cases deliberately blocking a small portion of its blood supply ahead of time, so that the remaining liver strengthens before surgery. With the deployment of state-of-the art tools in the operating room, there is less loss of blood and clear view.

Why people feel “fine” — and why that can be dangerous

Surprisingly, those diagnosed with liver cancer always say, “they feel fine”. That’s because the liver is resilient; it can keep working yet compensate for damage, even when a large part is compromised. It’s difficult to accept when you feel healthy. This underlines why liver cancer often remains silent for a long time, especially among those with liver conditions or fatty liver disease. Regular scans and blood tests in such vulnerable groups make a significant difference.