"Romantic revolutionary" Shi Mingde died of liver cancer! Expert: Be careful if you were born before "this year", 15 people die from liver cancer every day
Shi Mingde, the former chairman of the Democratic Progressive Party and known as the “romantic revolutionary”, unfortunately passed away due to recurrence of liver cancer on the 15th (Monday) at the age of 83. It is understood that Shi Mingde said in a past interview that he was diagnosed with “hepatitis B virus” at the age of 36. In 2006, he announced that he had a malignant tumor in his liver. Since then, he has been fighting liver cancer for more than 20 years. Recently, he is still not alive. He died of liver cancer recurrence.
15 people die from liver cancer every day! Expert: People born before “this year” should be screened regularly
According to cancer registration data released by the Taiwan Ministry of Health and Welfare in 2021, liver cancer ranks fourth among the top ten cancers; Taiwan Health Promotion Administration statistics also point out that the main causes of chronic liver disease, cirrhosis and liver cancer are B and C Hepatitis B and C, and about 70-80% of liver cancers are caused by hepatitis B and C. In addition, if hepatitis B carriers have persistent hepatitis attacks, 15-20% will develop “cirrhosis” and then develop liver cancer, forming the “liver cancer trilogy”.
Professor Lai Jiming, CEO of the Taiwan Cancer Foundation, pointed out that since Taiwan began comprehensive vaccination of newborns with hepatitis B vaccine in 1986, the hepatitis B carrier rate in the “vaccine generation” has continued to decrease to 0.5%, but liver cancer still ranks as the second most common cancer among Taiwanese. cause of death. According to the Taiwan Health Promotion Administration’s 2019 Cancer Report, there are about 11,000 new cases diagnosed every year, of which about 8,000 people unfortunately lose their lives. About 7 of the patients who die from liver cancer are hepatitis B carriers. Based on this calculation, about 15 people die from liver cancer every day due to hepatitis B.
Vaccination and antiviral treatment are both effective methods to prevent and treat hepatitis B-related liver cancer. However, in the “vaccine gap generation” before the launch of the hepatitis B vaccine policy, there are still an estimated 1.9 million hepatitis B carriers in people “over 38 years old”. By. Among them, many people missed the opportunity for treatment because they did not continue to follow up, and entered the “liver cancer trilogy” of “hepatitis, cirrhosis, and liver cancer”.
Liver cancer is most likely to occur in a wide range of ages, ranging from 20 to 50 years old. Early symptoms are not obvious. In the late stage, symptoms such as upper abdominal pain, loss of appetite, bloating, weight loss, bloody stools, jaundice, and acute abdominal pain will appear one after another. In severe cases, hemoptysis may even occur. , most patients only realize that there is something wrong with their body. According to clinical experience, about 40% of patients are already in the mid-to-late stage when diagnosed, and they will encounter more difficulties in treatment. Therefore, high-risk groups who drink frequently, have a medical history in the family, or are carriers of hepatitis B or C should be screened and tracked regularly. .
Is “fatty liver” a liver disease exclusive to young people? If you like to drink “2 drinks”, you may be more liver-hungry than staying up late
In addition to hepatitis B and hepatitis C, “fatty liver”, which is regarded as the main cause of liver cancer in the future, is also a major problem that many young and middle-aged people need to face urgently. Fatty liver refers to the accumulation of excessive triglycerides (TG) in the liver, which leads to the accumulation of liver fat, induces hepatitis, liver cell swelling and infiltration, and even destroys the liver structure and leads to cirrhosis. Compared with the dangers of hepatitis B and C, fatty liver is more likely to be a “liver disease exclusive to young people.”
Excessive drinking is a risk factor for many diseases, and the organ most directly affected is the “liver” responsible for metabolizing alcohol. There are two main causes of fatty liver: Excessive intake of alcohol. Alcohol is metabolized to produce triglycerides, which accumulate in the liver and cause “alcoholic fatty liver”. Another type of person has “non-alcoholic fatty liver disease” whose daily diet is mostly high in oil, sugar, and calories. According to statistics, there are approximately 8.5 million people drinking alcohol in Taiwan, and as many as 1 million of them engage in excessive drinking and “binge drinking”.
Liao You, a pregnancy nutritionist at the Dajia Branch of Guangtian General Hospital, said that young people should pay attention to drinking in moderation. Generally, the daily alcohol intake of adult women should not exceed 15 grams, and that of men should not exceed 30 grams. If you are born with poor liver function, suffer from chronic diseases or metabolic diseases, you should limit or avoid drinking alcohol.
In addition, young people tend to eat sweets and hand-shaken drinks, which are also the main culprits of fatty liver disease. Daily sugar intake should account for less than 10% of total calories; based on an adult male’s daily caloric intake of 2,000 calories, the amount of sugar needs to be controlled below 50 grams (about 10 sugar cubes). A cup of 700cc full sugar black tea is already excessive. It is recommended to avoid adding ingredients such as creamer, milk caps, and pearls, and gradually reduce the amount of sugar in drinks.
What is the most effective way to eat to protect your liver? Nutritionist reveals “3 foods” to help detoxify and metabolize alcohol
Pregnancy nutritionist Liao You suggests that to prevent liver disease, you can eat more foods rich in “phytochemicals” to help detoxify the liver, such as broccoli, cabbage, Chinese cabbage, rape, green vegetables, and kale. Among them, cruciferous vegetables are rich in “glucosinolates” and “indoles”, which help activate the liver’s detoxification system and help the liver and body detoxify.
In addition, turmeric is beneficial to the normal secretion of bile acids, reduces the production of bad cholesterol (LDL), increases the activity of alcohol dehydrogenase and helps in alcohol metabolism; while the “ginseng saponin” component in ginseng helps the blood circulation of the liver and reduces the risk of alcohol metabolism. Inflammatory cells secrete hormones to inhibit liver inflammation and reduce damage to liver function.
People who have suffered from chronic hepatitis are reminded to reduce their exposure to “aflatoxin” and other carcinogens, including moldy shelled beans, grains, nuts, and Chinese medicinal materials. Such foods may become harmful if left at room temperature of 28 degrees for a period of time. If aflatoxin is produced, it is best to store it in the refrigerator as much as possible. Also avoid ingesting pickled foods and alcohol.
Eating processed food and not exercising are the most harmful to your liver? Taiwan Health Promotion Administration reveals 6 principles of liver protection
Pregnancy nutritionist Liao You reminds that office workers generally eat out and are more likely to suffer from nutritional imbalances during three meals outside. The Taiwan Health Promotion Administration also pointed out that if young people want to stay away from liver diseases, they must first pay attention to a balanced diet and eat a balanced intake of six major food categories every day. The intake of fruits and vegetables is mainly “different colors”, especially berries, which are rich in anthocyanins and Polyphenols have been shown to help inhibit the proliferation of liver cancer cells.
The second is to avoid processed foods, including processed foods and processed meats, and try to eat more original foods. The third is to take in enough water, basically based on body weight * 30cc. In addition, maintaining normal sleep helps liver metabolism. Sleeping too short, having poor sleep quality, or reversing day and night may lead to the risk of liver damage. Losing weight can help you stay away from obesity, which is a risk factor for fatty liver and cirrhosis. It is recommended to exercise at least 3 times a week for at least 30 minutes each time.
Taiwan Health Promotion Administration Director Wu Zhaojun reminded that starting from 2020, Taiwan Health Promotion Administration has relaxed the screening for hepatitis B and C, subsidizing people aged 45 to 79 to be screened once in their lifetime. Currently, more than one million people have been screened. Among them, the positive rate of hepatitis B is about 12%. Taiwanese are reminded to make good use of the preventive health services provided by the government to avoid the progression to chronic liver disease and cirrhosis and reduce the risk of cancer through early detection and provision of appropriate treatment.
Further reading:
