Liver cancer is diagnosed in stages so that patients, families and physicians understand the gravity of the diagnosis. End stage liver cancer is an inoperable condition, where signs of total liver failure are beginning to manifest. Many symptoms specific to end stage liver cancer are visible to the naked eye and require no medical training or degrees to identify.
Jaundice
Jaundice is the primary sign of end stage liver cancer. This yellowing of the skin and eyes is a manifestation of the liver's inability to remove bilirubin from the system. When red blood cells die, the hemoglobin is broken down into bilirubin, which is excreted through the liver in bile. The build up of bilirubin will also affect the kidneys, causing extremely dark or tea-colored urine and systemic toxins eliciting itching of the skin.
Ascites and Pain
Abdominal pain, specifically in the upper right quadrant, is associated with end stage liver disease. This pain can be primary or secondary to the acute swelling, also known as ascites, that occurs with liver failure. Ascites is the medical term for abdominal swelling associated with extreme fluid retention in the trunk of your body. The rapidly increasing abdominal girth can elicit pain in the abdomen as well as the shoulder blades and back.
Lethargy and Confusion
As the bilirubin and toxin count increases in the bloodstream, a condition called hepatic encephalopathy will ensue. Hepatic encephalopathy translates to a swelling of the brain due to toxin build up caused by the liver's inability to purify the bloodstream. Once the brain swells, lethargy, or a chronic exhaustion, can be accompanied by confusion. As the end stage signs progress, this condition can result in a coma, a type of sleep induced by the chemical release from the liver.
Unprovoked Bleeding
Sudden bleeding from multiple sites is a sign of end stage liver cancer. The liver works to cleanse the blood; when dead blood products accumulate in the body the collateral effect can be an increase of prothrombin in the blood leading to increased spontaneous bleeding. Occasionally, spontaneous bleeding from the gums and oral mucosa can occur.
