Liver enzymes have a higher risk of cancer

Hepatic enzyme elevation is a warning sign of inflammation or necrosis of liver cells that, if not controlled well, will develop into hepatitis, cirrhosis, and even liver cancer.

For more than 40 years of working, Professor, Doctor, Doctor Nguyen Khanh Trach - Chairman of Vietnam Internal Medicine Association met many patients with liver enzymes, hepatitis but subjective treatment without treatment or destination. place. Understanding this pathology will help patients avoid many dangerous complications.

Increased liver enzymes indicate liver damage

According to Professor Trach, liver enzymes are common names of enzymes in liver cells including AST (SGOT), ALT (SGPT), LDH, GGT. They play a role in the synthesis and metabolism of protid, glucide and lipid in the liver. Normally, when old and dead liver cells will release these enzymes into the bloodstream and increase liver enzymes in certain thresholds. However, when the number of liver cells dies, liver enzymes increase abnormally. It also means that the liver has diseases such as inflammation, fibrosis, and even cancer.

Elevated liver enzymes contain many dangerous complications, including cirrhosis and liver cancer.

Professor Trach said that with the state of alcohol use and the highest rate of people infected with hepatitis B and C virus in the world, Vietnam now has a high number of people with hepatitis and elevated liver enzymes.

Hepatitis consists of two types: acute and chronic hepatitis (lasting more than 6 months). In addition to virus and alcohol, the rate of patients with chronic hepatitis due to toxins in dirty food, drugs for treatment, environmental pollution, parasites . is increasing.

Hepatitis caused by any cause leads to hepatocellular necrosis, characterized by high liver enzyme index. Dead liver cells can cause "domino effect" , accelerate the process of inflammation and necrosis of liver cells, causing liver damage without stopping and increasing liver enzymes.

For example, blood GGT enzymes often increase in people with alcoholism due to alcoholism, which increases in proportion to the amount of alcohol you drink. Meanwhile, indicators of AST and ALT high warnings gradually reduce life expectancy. AST doubled causing a 32% increase in the risk of death, 3 or more, the risk could reach 78%. Similarly, ALT increases 21% and 59% risk of death if the index is doubled or more. If liver enzymes increase abnormally due to mass death of hepatocytes, new hepatocellular proliferation will be triggered, increasing the risk of spontaneous mutations leading to liver cancer.

Professor Trach warns that about 57% of cirrhosis and 78% of primary liver cancer is caused by chronic hepatitis virus infection. Patients infected with hepatitis B virus face liver cancer 200 times higher than normal people. The American Liver Care Fund also statistics, about 35% of alcoholics suffer from hepatitis, 55% of them will turn into cirrhosis.

When damaged liver will not perform important roles, especially reduced or no longer able to detoxify, the whole body will be seriously affected.

About 57% of cirrhosis and 78% of primary liver cancers are caused by chronic hepatitis.

Treatment when not too late

Treatment of hepatitis, elevation of liver enzymes is very important. This is also the only solution to prevent complications of fibrosis and liver cancer. Patients should visit the liver periodically, monitor liver enzymes, pay special attention when the body has severe signs of liver disease such as fatigue, loss of appetite, loss of appetite, jaundice .

According to Professor Trach, although hepatitis and liver enzymes have increased, this organ has been damaged, hepatocellular necrosis, but if there are radical remedies at this stage, the liver can still recover its operability. normal action. Hepatitis can be avoided if you follow a doctor's treatment regimen, change positive lifestyle, avoid alcohol, tobacco, exercise and eating science .

However, if hepatitis in the late stages, liver cells become severe fibrosis and necrosis, the formation of abnormal liver nodules, all treatments and interventions at this time only slow the rate of fibrosis, and The disease is almost out of cure.