Dr. Huntley's
Diagnosis
Checklist
Have a symptom?
See what questions
a doctor would ask.
See what questions
a doctor would ask.
Liver cancer is listed as a "rare disease" by the Office of Rare Diseases (ORD) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This means that Liver cancer, or a subtype of Liver cancer, affects less than 200,000 people in the US population.
16,600 annual cases (SEER 2002 estimate) ... see also overview of Liver cancer.
approx 1 in 16,385 or 0.01% or 16,600 people in USA [Source statistic for calcuation: "16,600 annual cases (SEER 2002 estimate)" -- see also general information about data sources]
16,599 per year, 1,383 per month, 319 per week, 45 per day, 1 per hour, 0 per minute, 0 per second. [Source statistic for calculation: "16,600 annual cases (SEER 2002 estimate)" -- see also general information about data sources]
The following statistics relate to the incidence of Liver cancer:
The following statistics relate to deaths and Liver cancer:
16 MEDICAL BOOKS ONLINE! Review excerpts from medical books online, free, without registration, for more information about the prevalence and/or incidence of Liver cancer.
The exact cause of colorectal cancer is unknown, but studies showing concentration in areas of higher economic development suggest a relationship to diet (excess saturated animal fat). Other factors that magnify the risk of developing colorectal cancer include:
❑other diseases of the digestive tract
❑age (older than age 40)
❑history of ulcerative colitis (average interval before onset of cancer is 11 to 17 years)
❑familial polyposis (cancer almost always develops by age 50).
There are more than 130,000 cases of colorectal cancer diagnosed in the United States each year. It's the second-leading cause of cancer-related death, accounting for more than 50,000 per year. However, in almost all cases, it's treatable if caught early by colonoscopy.
Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005
The immediate cause of liver cancer is unknown, but it may be a congenital disease in children. Adult liver cancer may result from environmental exposure to carcinogens, such as the chemical compound aflatoxin (a mold that grows on rice and peanuts), thorium dioxide (a contrast medium formerly used in liver radiography), Senecio alkaloids, and possibly androgens and oral estrogens.
Roughly 30% to 70% of patients with hepatomas also have cirrhosis. (Hepatomas are 40 times more likely to develop in a cirrhotic liver than in a normal one.)
Whether cirrhosis is a premalignant state or alcohol and malnutrition predispose the liver to develop hepatomas is still unclear. Other risk factors are exposure to the hepatitis C virus and the hepatitis B virus.
Liver cancer accounts for roughly 1% of all cancers in the United States and for 10% to 50% in Africa and parts of Asia. Liver cancer is most prevalent in men (particularly men older than age 60), and incidence increases with age. It's rapidly fatal, usually within 6 months, from GI hemorrhage, progressive cachexia, hepatic failure, or metastasis.
Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005
Primary tumors of the spinal cord may be extramedullary (occurring outside the spinal cord) or intramedullary (occurring within the cord itself). Extramedullary tumors may be intradural (meningiomas and schwannomas), which account for 60% of all primary malignant spinal cord neoplasms, or extradural (metastatic tumors from breasts, lungs, prostate, leukemia, or lymphomas), which account for 25% of these malignant neoplasms.
Intramedullary tumors, or gliomas (astrocytomas or ependymomas), are comparatively rare, accounting for only about 10%. In children, they're low-grade astrocytomas.
Spinal cord tumors are rare compared with intracranial tumors (ratio of 1:4). They occur equally in men and women, with the exception of meningiomas, which occur mostly in women. Spinal cord tumors can occur anywhere along the length of the cord or its roots.
Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005
The term 'prevalence' of Liver cancer usually refers to the estimated population of people who are managing Liver cancer at any given time. The term 'incidence' of Liver cancer refers to the annual diagnosis rate, or the number of new cases of Liver cancer diagnosed each year. Hence, these two statistics types can differ: a short-lived disease like flu can have high annual incidence but low prevalence, but a life-long disease like diabetes has a low annual incidence but high prevalence. For more information see about prevalence and incidence statistics.
What do you think about the features of this website? Take our user survey and have your say:
Next articles:
Tools & Services:
Medical Articles:
Search Specialists by State and City
By using this site you agree to our Terms of Use. Information provided on this site is for informational purposes only; it is not intended as a substitute for advice from your own medical team. The information on this site is not to be used for diagnosing or treating any health concerns you may have - please contact your physician or health care professional for all your medical needs. Please see our Terms of Use.
Copyright © 2010 Health Grades Inc. All rights reserved. Last Update: 8 February, 2010 (23:02)