Liver tumor imaging

Article Abstract:

Liver cancer is a major factor in cancer deaths statistics around the world. In the United States, liver cancer often occurs in the form of metastatic colorectal (involving colon and rectum) cancer that has spread to the liver; about 60,000 people per year develop metastatic liver cancer. In other parts of the world, particularly parts of Asia and in sub-Saharan Africa, hepatocellular (cancer of the liver) carcinoma is endemic and accounts for one-third of all cancers. Improvements in therapy have resulted in improved survival, and it is estimated that, among patients with resectable cancer, roughly one-quarter are good candidates for cure. These improvements place greater demands on imaging techniques. When imaging techniques are only used to determine how poor the prognosis is, there is more flexibility than when the information derived from imaging might actually save the patient's life. Often, improving the quality of an imaging technique also makes the technique more invasive as well. For example, in one study, CT scanning alone detected fewer than half as many deposits of metastatic tumor as when CT scanning was combined with the injection of a contrast agent. Ultrasound imaging can be especially useful when a clear positive signal is obtained. However, the false-negative rate is as high as 50 percent, and the method is not at all suitable in screening for liver tumors. (False-negative indicates an incorrect report of health.) Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) seems to be excellent for the examination of the liver for metastasis. In addition, it is far superior to CT scanning in distinguishing between malignant deposits and benign hemangiomas within the liver. MRI also eliminates the requirement for iodinated contrast agents, and the method has many vocal proponents. Perhaps the one advantage of CT, which will continue to perpetuate its use, is the superior imaging of organs other than the liver. With CT scanning, the clinician obtains a useful image of all the abdominal organs at a single time. The authors emphasize that the use of modern imaging techniques to improve the treatment of liver cancer has not yet trickled down from the large cancer centers to community medical practices. They emphasize that it is the responsibility of the cancer centers and university hospitals to make sure that these improvements are widely disseminated. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Methods, Innovations, Cancer invasiveness, Tumor staging, Cancer staging, Liver cancer, Diagnostic imaging

---

Human carcinogenesis--introductory remarks

Article Abstract:

Human carcinogenesis, the development of cancer, is a slow process that typically develops over one or more decades. All of the cells in a tumor are derived from a single cancer cell. The transformation of a normal cell into a cancerous cell resulting in tumor growth is a process involving many steps or stages. The first step is called initiation. Initiation occurs when a cell is exposed to a substance that stimulates the cell into a precancerous state such that exposure to a second substance (called the promoter) causes the cell to become cancerous. Examples of initiators and promoters that stimulate cancer growth include cigarette smoke for lung cancer, Epstein-Barr virus and malarial infection for Burkitt's lymphoma, aflatoxin B1 and hepatitis B for liver cancer, and human papilloma virus and infectious diseases for cervical cancer. Roughly 75 to 80 percent of all cancers result from factors associated with lifestyle. Alcohol, tobacco and diet are three factors that have been linked to the development of cancer. Regional differences in the incidence of various types of cancer have been associated with regional differences in lifestyle. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Causes of, Physiological aspects, Cancer, Carcinogenesis

---

Similar abstracts:

• Abstracts: Malignant plasma cell tumors in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients. Cutaneous Hodgkin's disease in a patient with human immunodeficiency virus infection
• Abstracts: Clinical features of patients attending a gender-identity clinic
• Abstracts: Bilateral gingival swellings in the mandibular canine-premolar areas. Serum and gingival crevicular fluid levels of ciprofloxacin in patients with periodontitis
• Abstracts: Treatment of primary squamous cell carcinoma of the upper urinary tract. The patterns of cervical lymph node metastases from squamous carcinoma of the oral cavity
• Abstracts: Very low doses of warfarin can prevent thrombosis in central venous catheters. Prevention of venous thromboembolism after knee arthroplasty: a randomized, double-blind trial comparing enoxaparin with warfarin

This website is not affiliated with document authors or copyright owners. This page is provided for informational purposes only. Unintentional errors are possible.