Knowing your family history could help prevent liver disease

When it comes to healthy living, there’s truth in the saying: “Know the past to understand the present and prepare for the future.” New studies show that a family history of cancer may likely increases a person’s chance of developing hepatitis and other liver diseases including cancer.

There are several risk factors that lead to liver cancer, including consumption of alcoholic and fatty substances, obesity and diabetes. However, recent studies have found  that merely having a family history of liver disease makes one vulnerable to getting liver cancer.

In this particular study, researchers examined the records of over 600 patients. Some had hepatocellular carcinoma while some had no record of any hepatitis infection whatsoever.  Isolating those with a family history of liver disease, researchers found out that those were at a significantly higher chance of getting liver cancer than the rest of the populace.

Today, liver cancer ranks third in the most fatal of diseases worldwide, with a mortality of over 700,000 people in 2008. Over seventy percent of those deaths developed from hepatitis B and C.

While hepatitis remains to be the most critical risk factor for liver cancer, this revelation about the effects of family history is an important wake up  call to live a healthful lifestyle. Those with a genetic risk to liver disease may have hepatitis markers, which could be identified upon testing.  Early identification very much reduces the chance of getting hepatocellular carcinoma, and gives room to less intrusive and risky treatments.

People with known family history of liver disease may want to consider going through a panel test to have their liver checked, to potentially prevent future complications. If you’re not certain about your family’s medical history, it’s about time that you cook a family dinner and brave the questions to find out.