Many liver cancers could be prevented by reducing exposures to known risk factors for this disease.
Avoiding hepatitis infections
Worldwide, the biggest risk factor for liver cancer is infection with the hepatitis B or C virus. There is a vaccine to prevent hepatitis B. All children, as well as adults at high risk, should get this vaccine.
There is no vaccine for hepatitis C. Preventing hepatitis C (and hepatitis B in people who have not had the vaccine) is based on knowing how it spreads. The viruses are spread through blood transfusions, from sharing dirty needles (as in drug use), by having unprotected sex, and through childbirth. In the United States the risk of getting a hepatitis infection from a blood transfusion is very low.
There are a number of drugs used to treat people who have hepatitis C or B. How well they work is still being studied. Whether these drugs help prevent liver cancer is also under study. If you have hepatitis B or C you should talk to your doctor about these drugs.
Limiting alcohol use and not using tobacco
In the United States, alcohol abuse is a major cause of the cirrhosis that can lead to liver cancer. But it is hard to prevent alcohol abuse.
Food and chemical safety
Changing the way certain grains are stored in warm countries could reduce exposure to cancer-causing substances like aflatoxins. Many modern countries have rules to keep grains safe. They also have laws to protect people from cancer-causing chemicals.
Treating diseases that increase liver cancer risk
Certain inherited diseases can cause cirrhosis of the liver, increasing the risk for liver cancer. Finding and treating these diseases early in life could lower this risk.
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