Liver cancer begins in the cells of the liver and is believed to be caused by chronic infection such as hepatitis. Liver cancer begins when liver cells develop mutations in their DNA and eventually begin to grow into tumors. There are four main types of liver cancer: hepatocellular carcinoma in children and adults; cholangiocarcinoma that begins in the small tube-like bile ducts within the liver; hepatoblastoma that affects young children; and angiosarcoma or hemangiosarcoma -- rare, quick-growing cancers that begin in the liver's blood vessels.
Diet for Liver Cancer
Because further damage to the liver must be avoided in patients with liver cancer, care must be taken to eat a proper diet.
Those with liver cancer should eat a healthy diet with many essential vitamins and minerals for optimum health. However, care must be taken to avoid nutrients that can promote liver cancer growth. A damaged liver cannot process protein well, which can cause a toxic buildup of ammonia in the bloodstream. Also, a healthy liver makes glycogen from carbohydrates for energy, but a damaged liver cannot. A moderate amount of fat is important so that essential fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins can be processed. Additional vitamins and minerals and supplements should be ingested because they are not stored as easily in the liver as they are in healthy livers.
Sodium is of particular concern to those with liver cancer. Anyone with liver damage, including liver cancer, must consume a low-sodium diet to avoid other health problems and complications. Because liver damage can cause high blood pressure in the major vein of the liver, ascites can also result, which is buildup of fluids in the abdominal cavity. Cancer patients should limit fluids and sodium, as they can both contribute to higher blood pressure. Ascites must be removed from the body with diuretics or an abdomen catheter. The catheter can require a three-day outpatient procedure or a stay at a hospital. Avoiding salt and excess fluids can keep this from occurring in the first place.
What to Eat
To keep as healthy as possible, liver cancer patients should eat a sodium-restricted diet of no more than 2,000 mg or 2 g of sodium a day. To plan accordingly, take time to read food labels and review lists of foods low in sodium. Understanding food labels is important. Any food labeled "sodium free" contains only a trivial amount of sodium per serving; labels that indicate "very low sodium" means the food contains 5 mg or less per serving; "low sodium" foods have less than 140 mg or less sodium per serving; "reduced sodium" means that he sodium content is reduced by 25%; "light" or "light" foods have a sodium content reduced by at least 50%.
Patients can safely eat from the following list of foods, as they are very low in sodium: fresh fruits and vegetables, low-sodium, rinsed canned vegetables, unprocessed meats, unprocessed fish or poultry, eggs, unsalted nuts, dried pasta, cooked cereals, granola, ice cream, milk and low-salt cheeses. In summary, liver cancer patients should eat a balanced, low-sodium diet that also limits proteins and fluid intake.
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