Safe food storage, appropriate agricultural practices, and food safety monitoring can help reduce exposure.
Not everyone with one or more risk factors will develop liver cancer. Conversely, some people develop the disease without an obvious major risk factor. Understanding personal risk can help determine whether preventive care or regular surveillance is appropriate.
How Doctors Investigate Possible Liver Cancer
When symptoms or risk factors raise concern, a healthcare professional may recommend several investigations. The appropriate approach depends on the person's medical history, examination findings, and initial test results.
Blood tests
Blood tests may assess liver enzymes, bilirubin, albumin, and other indicators of liver function. A complete blood count and tests related to blood clotting may also be useful.
An additional blood test measures alpha-fetoprotein, commonly known as AFP. AFP may be elevated in some people with hepatocellular carcinoma, but it can also rise in certain noncancerous liver conditions. Some people with liver cancer have normal AFP levels.
Consequently, AFP cannot diagnose or exclude liver cancer on its own.
Ultrasound examinations
An abdominal ultrasound uses sound waves to create images of the liver. It can identify certain masses, changes in liver structure, and signs of fluid accumulation.
For people at increased risk, ultrasound is commonly used for surveillance, often every six months. Depending on the clinical situation, AFP testing may be included.
CT and MRI scans
If ultrasound or other findings raise suspicion, doctors may recommend contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). These examinations can provide detailed information about a suspicious liver lesion, including its size, location, and pattern of blood supply.
In people with cirrhosis or certain other high-risk conditions, characteristic imaging findings may establish a diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma without a biopsy. In other situations, a tissue sample may be necessary.
The exact diagnostic pathway varies according to the type of suspected liver tumor and the patient's underlying health.
Importantly, routine blood tests that appear normal do not necessarily rule out early liver cancer. Likewise, an abnormal liver enzyme result does not automatically mean cancer is present.
Why Regular Screening Matters for High-Risk Individuals
Screening and diagnostic testing are not the same.
Screening is performed in people who do not have symptoms but are at increased risk of a particular disease. Diagnostic testing investigates a problem when symptoms or abnormal findings are already present.
For many people at high risk of hepatocellular carcinoma, surveillance with liver ultrasound, with or without AFP testing, at approximately six-month intervals can help detect tumors earlier.
Surveillance recommendations depend on the person's condition, age, overall health, and whether treatment would be appropriate if cancer were detected. Not everyone with occasional itching or a few episodes of fatigue needs liver cancer screening.
People with cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis B should ask their healthcare provider whether they need regular surveillance. Those with hepatitis C, fatty liver disease, or other chronic liver conditions should discuss their individual risk and monitoring needs rather than assuming that every condition carries the same level of risk.
Regular follow-up can be especially valuable because early liver cancer may not cause recognizable symptoms. Waiting until pain, jaundice, or abdominal swelling appears can delay diagnosis.
Practical Ways to Protect Liver Health
Although no lifestyle strategy can guarantee that liver cancer will never develop, several measures can reduce the risk of liver disease and its complications.
Get vaccinated against hepatitis B when appropriate. Vaccination helps prevent a major cause of chronic liver disease and liver cancer. Ask a healthcare professional whether you and your family members need vaccination.
Get tested for viral hepatitis when indicated. Many people with hepatitis B or C do not know they are infected because symptoms may be absent for years. Testing based on local guidelines, personal history, and individual risk can help identify infections before serious complications develop.
Limit or avoid alcohol. Alcohol can contribute to liver injury, especially when consumed heavily over long periods. People with existing liver disease should discuss alcohol use with their healthcare team, as complete avoidance may be recommended.
Maintain a healthy weight. Regular physical activity and balanced eating can help reduce metabolic risk factors associated with fatty liver disease. Sustainable changes are generally more useful than extreme diets or rapid weight-loss programs.
Manage diabetes and other metabolic conditions. Keeping blood glucose, blood pressure, and blood lipid levels under appropriate control can support overall health and may reduce the likelihood of progressive metabolic liver disease.