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Alora

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Professor Harbaugh
Nutrition 1010
11/6/2016
Nutrition-Related Chronic Disease
Introduction
Cancer starts when cells in the body begin to grow out of control. Cells in nearly any part
of the body can become cancer, and can spread to other areas of the body (What is Liver
Cancer?, 2016)
Liver cancer is where the cells have rapid growth, this type of cancer begins in the liver
rather than migrating to the liver from another organ or section of the body. Secondary liver
cancer is cancer that did not begin in the liver, but has spread to the liver. For example, if you
have breast cancer, but it spreads to your liver it will be treated as breast cancer ("What is liver
cancer?", 2016). Nevertheless, family history of liver cancer does appear to influence risk of the
disease. This paper will explore the history, causes, and nutritional effects of the devastating
effects of liver cancer that exist in my family to be.
Family Health History
I wanted to study my boyfriends family health history. My family history has been
relatively without medical problems and has lived to old age. Rays grandpa on his dad's side
was born in 1950 and is from Vietnam. He was married to Lui and had 13 children. He enjoyed
craw fishing and worked as a mechanic. Ray told me that his grandfather was first diagnosed
with liver cancer at the age of 64. He started drinking alcohol and smoking tobacco at a young
age. He did not stop drinking till he found out he had blood clots in his leg and had an a single

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amputation. Unfortunately, by the time the family found out, he had liver cancer he was terminal
and placed him in hospice for his remaining days. He passed away in the year of 2014. Another
family member that passed away from liver cancer was his aunt, his grandpa's sister, she too was
a heavy drinker. Her cancer started in the lungs and then spread to her liver. When cancer
spreads to a different organ this is called secondary liver cancer. She was aware of the family
history, but went against her doctor's warning, thus she ended up with cancer. She choose not to
do any treatment because she believed it would not help her or do any good. She passed away
not too long after her brother in 2015. There are many types of liver cancer, but only two out of
the many as been seen in Rays family. Liver cancer is common worldwide, many do not know
what to look for or will take their health for granted. It is good to know more about the disease
that runs in your family because it could save your life one day.
Description of the Disease
The liver is the largest internal organ of the body. It weighs about three pounds and
accounts for about 2% of a person's body weight. Liver cancer begins in the tissues of the liver.
The liver is an organ that sits in the upper right portion of the abdomen, beneath the diaphragm
and above the stomach. Our liver has important functions including cleansing the toxins from the
blood, making bile which helps digest fat and making protein to fuel our bodies (Abou-Alfa &
DeMatteo).
Like all the organs in our body our liver has cells. A cell is one of the smallest units of a living
organism. Cells die and then new cells are generated, so our body is always requiring more cells.
In some cases the cells are capable of dividing uncontrollably, when this occurs to the cells it is
cancer (Abou-Alfa & DeMatteo).

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Liver cancer is a disease that kills almost all the people who suffer from it within a year.
This is because by the time one realizes they have the cancer, it has already spread to other parts
of the body. Statistics show that only five percent of the patients with liver that have begun to
show symptoms, survive five years without treatment.(Marks, n.d.). When, it comes to liver
cancer there are multiple causes and stages of cancer.
Stages of Liver Cancer
The stages of liver cancer is how far it has spread when being diagnosed. The stage of cancer
is an important factor because, this determines treatment options for the patient and predicting
prognosis or outcome. In the beginning of liver cancer there is a single tumor that has not spread
to the blood vessels, lymph nodes or any other part of the body ("Liver cancer stages").
In the second stage of liver cancer, the cancer still has not spread to the lymph nodes or any other
part of the body. But has a single tumor that has grown into blood vessels of the liver
("Liver cancer stages").
Stage three, there are most likely more than one tumor and at least one of them is larger than five
centimeters, which is about two inches. At this stage the cancer has not spread to the lymph
nodes or any other part of the body ("Liver cancer stages").
Stage four, there maybe various tumors in various sizes. It has likely grown into the blood vessel
or the organs around the liver. In stage four it has spread to the lymph nodes ("Liver cancer
stages"). In retrospect, if we know the causes of liver cancer we can have a positive influence
toward the factors that influence prevention .
Causes of Liver Cancer
The liver filters blood which in turn flows all over the body. Cancer cells from
elsewhere can lodge in the liver and start to grow, this is called secondary liver cancer. This is

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also one of the causes of liver cancer. Obesity and diabetes are closely associated with a type of
liver abnormality called nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Primary liver cancer, can often occur by
birth defects, alcohol abuse, or chronic infection with diseases like, Hepatitis B and or Hepatitis
C. Nutrition has a factor in this also, some include: malnourishment (when the body doesn't get
enough nutrients), vitamin B deficiency, and alcohol are the main causes of liver cancer
(Ahluwalia & Ahluwalia). Processing alcohol requires nutrients, as the liver decreases the supply
of nutrients the blood stream is used as backup to replenish the supply. This results in, cells being
deprived of critical nutrients. Many of the symptoms are caused by nutrient deficiencies. The Bcomplex vitamins are especially vulnerable and are destroyed by alcohol. These vitamins are
essential to mental and emotional well being (Nutrition Recommendations).
Health Complications
Some health complications that come with liver cancer include: Liver failure, kidney
failure and metastasis. Liver failure occurs when the liver is losing or has lost all its function to
filter the blood, with supplemented vitamin K, the liver produces proteins that assist in blood
clotting. The liver is also one of the organs that breaks blood cells down that are old or damaged.
The liver plays a central role in all metabolic processes in the body. In fat metabolism the liver
cells break down fats and produce energy. A few of the symptoms of liver failure are: nausea,
loss of appetite, fatigue, and diarrhea. These symptoms worsen as the liver failure progresses
("Liver Cancer").
Kidney failure is when the kidneys can no long filter bodily fluids and waste. This will
cause dangerous levels of toxins circulating the body. There is a possibility of high blood
pressure. Your body could retain excess fluid and it may not produce enough red blood cells
("Liver Cancer").

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Metastasis is when the cancer spreads to the outside area of the affected organ. This is
hard to treat. Metastases are more likely to appear in patients that have lost weight and have an
abnormally large liver ("Metastatic Liver Cancer").
If, you want to avoid these complications then your best option is prevention. Prevention
can save your life in some ways it is the key to your health. A person's cancer risk can be reduced
with healthy choices, it is worth the time to find out what healthy choices could maybe save your
life.
Prevention
Some ways to lower your risk for developing liver cancer are: reducing or completely
cutting out alcohol, eating healthy and exercising. The complications and symptoms of drinking
alcohol on the liver are many. Minimizing symptoms is the goal. To do this you need to
replenish depleted nutrients. The food guide pyramid is a great resource to help anyone get
started. Eating various nutrient dense food will help your body get what it needs to be healthy.
What studies have shown is, the more you exercise the more benefits there will be. Studies have
shown men and women who exercise during their youth years have a lower risk of cancer later in
life. (Nutrition Recommendations, 2015). While prevention is key, treatment also is a big factor.
Treatment Options
Nutritional health is a strong and reliable treatment option. Although there are many
treatment options for liver cancer, nutrition is one of the most effective ways to help the body
fight. Having liver cancer has side effects including: weight loss, fatigue, nausea, diarrhea,
constipation, low blood counts and increased risk of infection. These side effects are known to
lead to malnourishment, which can decrease the effect of the actually treatment suggested by the
medical doctor. A dietitian will see what your body needs throughout your treatment. They will

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suggest supplements and possibly therapies to support optimal digestion to help manage side
effects ("Nutrition therapy").
Extent of diets role in the chronic disease
Nutrition is an important part of overall health. If you are diagnosed with liver cancer,
eating healthy before, during, and after cancer treatment can help the body function. Good
nutrition can optimize muscle strength, and speed up recovery. It is recommended to eat small
frequent meals throughout the day to keep the bodies energy up. Choosing protein rich food can
help repair cells and tissues. Protein rich food includes: eggs, lean meat, beans, nuts and butter.
When you include whole grain food into your diet it will keep your body fueled or in other words
have more energy. Whole grain foods are: oatmeal, whole wheat bread, brown rice and pasta.
Having various fruits and vegetables give the body antioxidants. Antioxidants can help fight
against cancer. It is important to choose a healthy fat not fast food or greasy food. Here are
suggestions for replacing fast food with healthy fats. Eating the following food can help aid in
regular digestion and aid in making it easier to digest, these food are, avocados, nuts, and olive
oil. The most important thing to remember is cancer is unique journey and a person should have
a unique treatment ("Home." Liver Cancer). Not only does diet help with cancer but also
exercising, these two combined are shown to improve health.
Effect(s) of Activity and Exercise
Hepatocellular carcinoma is a cancer that begins in liver cells, and it is one of the most
common types of cancers. There is mounting evidence that exercising may be the key to
significantly reducing your chances for developing liver cancer. Back in the day people who
were treated with cancer were advised to limit physical activity, this is good advice if movement
causes pain or shortness breath. Newer research has found that exercising can improve your

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quality of life. Too much rest can lead to muscle weakness and insufficient range in motion. This
is why a good deal of cancer care teams recommend their patients to engage in physical activity
("Physical Activity and the Cancer Patient").
Conclusion
In conclusion, no matter what chronic disease runs in your family, nutrition is something
that our bodies will always need. If we do not take care of ourselves by eating the right foods
tailored to our bodies and exercise our muscles we will not get any better. Nutrition and exercise
has many key components to our health, like reducing the risk of cancer. Just a simple lifestyle
change can make all the difference in our life. Some poor choices in lifestyles and nutrition can,
lead to causes of illness that can not be undone and only managed. When it comes to having a
healthy nutritious lifestyle an ounce of prevention is worth not only a pound of cure, but tons and
tons of cure. Learning about nutrition and applying this knowledge to a lifestyle change can
open the door to a longer quality life.

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References
Abou-Alfa, Ghassan K., and Ronald DeMatteo. 100 Questions & Answers about Liver Cancer.
Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett, 2006. Print.
Ahluwalia, V. K., and M. Ahluwalia. Cancer Causes and Prevention. New Delhi: Lotus, 2005.
Print.
Boulder Medical Center. N.p., 2015. Web. 09 Nov. 2016.
"Home." Liver Cancer Nutrition Guidelines. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Nov. 2016
"Liver Cancer." - Causes of. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Nov. 2016.
"Liver Cancer Stages." Liver Cancer Stages. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Nov. 2016.
Marks, Jay W. "Viral Hepatitis, Alcoholism, Cirrhosis Link to Liver Cancer on
MedicineNet.com." MedicineNet. Leslie J. Schoenfield, MD, PhD, n.d. Web. 09 Nov. 2016.
"Metastatic Liver Cancer." Merck Manuals Professional Edition. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Nov. 2016.
"Nutrition Recommendations for Those Who Consume Alcohol - Boulder Medical Center."
"Nutrition Therapy." Liver Cancer Nutrition Therapy & Diet. N.p., 0001. Web. 09 Nov. 2016.
"Physical Activity and the Cancer Patient." Physical Activity and the Cancer Patient. N.p., n.d.
Web. 09 Nov. 2016.
"What Is Liver Cancer?" What Is Liver Cancer? N.p., 28 Apr. 2016. Web. 08 Nov. 2016.