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3. Take the Alcohol Quiz

Medical Author:

Keith E. Stuart, MD

Keith E. Stuart, MD

Dr. Keith E. Stuart is a medical oncologist specializing in the study and treatment of cancers involving the gastrointestinal tract, with a special interest in tumors involving the liver. He was educated at Harvard University (graduating magna cum laude) and Albert Einstein College of Medicine and did his medical training at the New England Deaconess Hospital.

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Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

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One of the reasons that liver cancer is frequently hard to diagnose is that many of its signs and symptoms are usually vague and nonspecific, meaning that almost any illness can cause them. Symptoms such as weakness, fatigue, weight loss, or loss of appetite are common. Signs of liver damage may appear as the tumor grows, such as an increase in abdominal size due to accumulation of fluid around the liver and intestines (called ascites), and jaundice, a yellowing of the skin and eyes along with dark urine. Jaundice occurs because of a buildup in the blood of bilirubin, a breakdown product of red blood cells that is usually handled by the liver. More severe liver failure may cause internal bleeding and mental changes, including confusion, or uncontrollable sleepiness (encephalopathy) as the liver is no longer able to handle all the harmful chemicals in the blood. Rarely, affected people may develop fevers, night sweats, or pain.

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