In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Rajiv Lochan, Lead Consultant and HPB and Liver Transplantation Surgery at Manipal Hospital Old Airport Road in Bengaluru, shared, “Liver cancer is the third leading cause of cancer related deaths globally and the most common form of liver cancer is Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC), Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer), etc and benign liver tumours such as Hepatic adenoma and Focal nodular hyperplasia.”
He added, “The key causes include hepatitis B and C viral infections, cirrhosis (end stage liver disease), drinking water contaminated with arsenic, obesity, diabetes and high alcohol intake. Fatty liver can promote liver inflammation. This can progress to cirrhosis and ultimately may lead to liver cancer. Fatty liver usually develops in people who are overweight, have diabetes or high lipid profile. Poor eating habits, especially a diet rich in fats and sugar can promote fatty liver. This can later turn to a liver tumour in many with those with faulty metabolism.”Is junk food related to liver cancer and how to prevent it?
Offering a solution, Dr Rajiv Lochan revealed, “Junk food has become a routine part of people’s lives. All these fast food items not only cause obesity but can also damage your liver leading to cirrhosis and increase the risk of developing liver cancer.”
Dr Pramod Kumar Julka , Principal Director and Medical Oncology at Max Institute of Cancer Care in Delhi’s Lajpat Nagar elaborated, “Junk food has been known to cause cancer in a different way. Junk food means the food which you take have not been properly cooked or has hydrocarbon, we call it polycyclica hydrocarbon or has certain chemicals which are carcinogenic. There are certain chemical which cause carcinogen-like effect and hence, called chemical carcinogen and chemically they cause cancer in certain individuals.”
