Increased risk of liver cancer 'Hepatic fibrosis'Early diagnosis is key
Oct 21, 2024
Every October 20th is a 'day of the liver' established to inform the importance of liver health and correct information about liver disease. The liver is one of the important organs of our body that is involved in the overall metabolism such as detoxification, metabolism, and sterilization. Since the liver does not show any symptoms until the damage becomes serious enough to be called 'silent organs', when the disease is discovered, it is often difficult to treat because it has already progressed considerably. In fact, according to data from Statistics Korea in 2022, liver cancer ranked second in cancer mortality (19.9 per 100,000 people), and the 5-year survival rate of liver cancer is less than 40%, which has a poor prognosis. If the disease is diagnosed as advanced, only palliative treatment is possible, so the average survival time is reduced to about two years. Therefore, it is essential to pay more attention to the health of the liver and check the condition of the liver through periodic examinations.
◇ Continued liver fibrosis leads to cirrhosis...development of liver cancer in severe cases
The liver is the largest solid organ in our body, weighing about 1.5kg, and playing a wide variety of roles. It is involved in body energy metabolism and plays various functions such as detoxification of drugs or toxic substances, strengthening and sterilizing immunity, and hormone metabolism. However, if continuous stimulation such as excessive drinking or drug abuse is applied to the liver, liver cells gradually lose their own function, leading to fatty liver or hepatitis, a typical liver disease.
Fatty liver refers to a state in which triglycerides are accumulated in liver cells and the liver is enlarged. There are no specific symptoms, but fatigue, loss of appetite, and lethargy can occur. Hepatitis is a disease that causes inflammation and destruction of hepatocytes and causes liver dysfunction, and most of them recover within a few months as acute hepatitis with symptoms of fatigue and loss of appetite. However, if acute hepatitis persists for more than six months, it can be classified as chronic hepatitis, and some of these can lead to liver fibrosis, in which the liver gradually hardens as the normal structure of the liver is destroyed. Eventually, the liver hardens and cirrhosis can occur, and if this condition intensifies, it can develop to liver cancer.
Cirrhosis is a chronic liver disease in which normal liver cells are destroyed and replaced by scar tissue to reduce normal liver tissue. Chronic hepatitis B accounts for about 70% of cirrhosis in Korea, followed by alcoholic hepatitis, chronic hepatitis C, and fatty liver. There are few symptoms in the early stages of cirrhosis, but after some progression, symptoms in the form of complications may occur 'non-compensated cirrhosis'. At this time, non-specific symptoms such as loss of appetite, indigestion, and abdominal discomfort may appear. In addition, esophageal and gastric varicose veins can occur, causing bleeding in severe cases, and hepatic encephalopathy (mixed water) can also occur at the end of the year. Apparently, spider-shaped capillary dilatation (spider hemangioma) or erythema of the head, which makes the palms red, may appear on the front chest. In men, the breast may grow bigger or testicles smaller like women, and women may experience menstrual irregularities.
◇ Non-invasive 'M2BPGi' inspection to accurately assess liver fibrosis status
If cirrhosis progresses, it is difficult to recover to the normal liver, so it is important to identify the condition of liver fibrosis early and receive appropriate treatment. Methods for confirming liver fibrosis include abdominal ultrasound, fibroscan, blood test, liver biopsy, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). However, there is a limitation that it is difficult to diagnose early liver fibrosis or cirrhosis with only general abdominal ultrasound, and a FibroScan test has the possibility that the liver may be measured hard due to congestion of the liver due to heart failure. In addition, non-invasive imaging tests such as FibroScan and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have a disadvantage that they are difficult to use universally due to the high cost burden.
Recently, 'M2BPGi test', which can evaluate liver fibrosis more accurately than conventional tests, has attracted attention. As liver fibrosis progresses, the protein called 'M2BP (Mac-2 Bing Protein)' present in normal blood changes to a substance called 'M2BPGi (Mac-2 Bing Protein Glycosylated Isomer)' through saccharification transformation, which is a non-invasive blood test that diagnoses liver fibrosis by measuring the level of modified M2BPGi.
Patients with hepatitis B and C, patients with alcoholic liver disease, patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver, and patients diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma who have developed abnormalities related to liver disease can all be tested. As a result of the examination, the higher the M2BPGi level, the more severe liver fibrosis is evaluated. In particular, the 'M2BPGi test is useful for follow-up from the early stages of liver fibrosis in various chronic liver diseases, including cirrhosis, and has been proven as an early screening method for asymptomatic liver fibrosis. In addition, tests using a small amount of blood reduced the unnecessary liver biopsy rate to 74.3%, and repeated tests are less burdensome.
Heo Kyu-hwa, a diagnostic laboratory specialist at the GC Green Cross Medical Foundation, emphasized that "Hepatic disease and liver fibrosis that come silently are caused by various causes, and treatment is often difficult at the time of symptoms."It is important to check the progress of liver fibrosis early through the 'M2BPGi test' if you have chronic hepatitis or liver disease, or if you feel that your liver health has recently weakened."
Meanwhile, the M2BPGi test was determined to be a safe and effective test for screening and diagnosing liver fibrosis before liver biopsy in patients with chronic liver disease through the New Medical Technology Evaluation Committee of the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea Institute of Health and Medical Sciences.
◇ Continued liver fibrosis leads to cirrhosis...development of liver cancer in severe cases
The liver is the largest solid organ in our body, weighing about 1.5kg, and playing a wide variety of roles. It is involved in body energy metabolism and plays various functions such as detoxification of drugs or toxic substances, strengthening and sterilizing immunity, and hormone metabolism. However, if continuous stimulation such as excessive drinking or drug abuse is applied to the liver, liver cells gradually lose their own function, leading to fatty liver or hepatitis, a typical liver disease.
Fatty liver refers to a state in which triglycerides are accumulated in liver cells and the liver is enlarged. There are no specific symptoms, but fatigue, loss of appetite, and lethargy can occur. Hepatitis is a disease that causes inflammation and destruction of hepatocytes and causes liver dysfunction, and most of them recover within a few months as acute hepatitis with symptoms of fatigue and loss of appetite. However, if acute hepatitis persists for more than six months, it can be classified as chronic hepatitis, and some of these can lead to liver fibrosis, in which the liver gradually hardens as the normal structure of the liver is destroyed. Eventually, the liver hardens and cirrhosis can occur, and if this condition intensifies, it can develop to liver cancer.
Cirrhosis is a chronic liver disease in which normal liver cells are destroyed and replaced by scar tissue to reduce normal liver tissue. Chronic hepatitis B accounts for about 70% of cirrhosis in Korea, followed by alcoholic hepatitis, chronic hepatitis C, and fatty liver. There are few symptoms in the early stages of cirrhosis, but after some progression, symptoms in the form of complications may occur 'non-compensated cirrhosis'. At this time, non-specific symptoms such as loss of appetite, indigestion, and abdominal discomfort may appear. In addition, esophageal and gastric varicose veins can occur, causing bleeding in severe cases, and hepatic encephalopathy (mixed water) can also occur at the end of the year. Apparently, spider-shaped capillary dilatation (spider hemangioma) or erythema of the head, which makes the palms red, may appear on the front chest. In men, the breast may grow bigger or testicles smaller like women, and women may experience menstrual irregularities.
◇ Non-invasive 'M2BPGi' inspection to accurately assess liver fibrosis status
If cirrhosis progresses, it is difficult to recover to the normal liver, so it is important to identify the condition of liver fibrosis early and receive appropriate treatment. Methods for confirming liver fibrosis include abdominal ultrasound, fibroscan, blood test, liver biopsy, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). However, there is a limitation that it is difficult to diagnose early liver fibrosis or cirrhosis with only general abdominal ultrasound, and a FibroScan test has the possibility that the liver may be measured hard due to congestion of the liver due to heart failure. In addition, non-invasive imaging tests such as FibroScan and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have a disadvantage that they are difficult to use universally due to the high cost burden.
Recently, 'M2BPGi test', which can evaluate liver fibrosis more accurately than conventional tests, has attracted attention. As liver fibrosis progresses, the protein called 'M2BP (Mac-2 Bing Protein)' present in normal blood changes to a substance called 'M2BPGi (Mac-2 Bing Protein Glycosylated Isomer)' through saccharification transformation, which is a non-invasive blood test that diagnoses liver fibrosis by measuring the level of modified M2BPGi.
Patients with hepatitis B and C, patients with alcoholic liver disease, patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver, and patients diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma who have developed abnormalities related to liver disease can all be tested. As a result of the examination, the higher the M2BPGi level, the more severe liver fibrosis is evaluated. In particular, the 'M2BPGi test is useful for follow-up from the early stages of liver fibrosis in various chronic liver diseases, including cirrhosis, and has been proven as an early screening method for asymptomatic liver fibrosis. In addition, tests using a small amount of blood reduced the unnecessary liver biopsy rate to 74.3%, and repeated tests are less burdensome.
Heo Kyu-hwa, a diagnostic laboratory specialist at the GC Green Cross Medical Foundation, emphasized that "Hepatic disease and liver fibrosis that come silently are caused by various causes, and treatment is often difficult at the time of symptoms."It is important to check the progress of liver fibrosis early through the 'M2BPGi test' if you have chronic hepatitis or liver disease, or if you feel that your liver health has recently weakened."
Meanwhile, the M2BPGi test was determined to be a safe and effective test for screening and diagnosing liver fibrosis before liver biopsy in patients with chronic liver disease through the New Medical Technology Evaluation Committee of the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea Institute of Health and Medical Sciences.
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bellho@sportschosun.com
