The liver is an organ of vertebrate beings.
The liver is a viscera or organ of vertebrate beings, which has an irregular shape and a dark red color. It is located in the right anterior part of the abdomen and is covered by a fibrous capsule. This organ performs various functions that are vital, such as filtering and storing blood in the body and collaborating in the conversion of food into energy.
In humans, the liver is the largest gland . It is responsible for the synthesis of plasma proteins, stores vitamins and eliminates substances that are harmful to the body from the blood , among other functions.
Liver function
Specifically, the liver produces bile (a substance necessary for the digestion of food), metabolizes carbohydrates and lipids (thereby synthesizing cholesterol ), eliminates insulin, synthesizes proteins , transforms ammonium into urea , and acts as a glycogen and vitamin storage, for example.
The liver, which weighs approximately 1.5 kilos, is divided into four lobes : the right , the left , the quadrate , and the caudate or Spiegel lobe . The main relationships of this organ are carried out with those structures that are located to the left of the abdomen.
The liver produces bile, a substance needed to digest food.
Diseases and disorders
Among the diseases , we can mention hepatitis (A, B and C), liver cirrhosis, hepatocarcinoma (liver cancer), nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and several congenital diseases such as Dubin-Johnson syndrome and Gilbert syndrome.
To avoid liver poisoning , doctors recommend a healthy diet , with ample consumption of fruits and water, and the abandonment of alcoholic beverages (these types of beverages cause cirrhosis).
liver cancer
Another common and often serious ailment in this organ is cancer . This disease occurs when liver cells begin to develop rapidly and those that should die do not do so, becoming abnormal cells and forming a tumor. The best known liver cancer is called malignant hepatoma, hepatocellular carcinoma or primary cancer and can develop at any age; When it occurs in very young children it is called hepatoblastoma.
In some cases, liver cancer results from spread (the disease has started in another area of the body), in this case it is known as metastatic cancer. Furthermore, according to certain studies, this disease is related to hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C (HCV) since, between 10 to 20 percent of people who have ever had this other, subsequently have suffered from this type of cancer.
Other causes that can cause it are indiscriminate alcohol abuse or malnutrition ; These can lead to the individual first suffering from cirrhosis (a disorder that progressively scars the liver, affecting its fundamental functions) and subsequently leading to liver cancer .
Among the first symptoms of this disease are loss of appetite, weight, fever, fatigue and weakness ; However, it is very difficult to detect because its signs are vague and could be related to other ailments .
Later, clearer symptoms appear, such as pain in the upper part of the abdomen that spreads to the back and shoulders; In addition, vomiting attacks and jaundice often occur (the skin and the whites of the eyes take on a yellowish hue and the urine turns dark).
To determine the correct diagnosis , the doctor orders a series of studies to check the functioning of this organ and verify the existence of tumor markers. In addition, chest and abdominal x-rays and magnetic resonance imaging are performed, among other studies. Finally, if all the results have revealed the presence of this disease, a biopsy is performed, which will definitively confirm the diagnosis. It consists of removing the liver tissue with a needle, extracting a sample that will be analyzed under a microscope to see if there are cancer cells.
Once the disease has been confirmed, appropriate treatment is carried out; Although this is one of the most difficult cancers to control, there are many treatments that can help those who suffer from it. Depending on its stage and the condition of the liver , surgery , chemotherapy or treatment with high-energy rays or a combination of various treatments may be recommended.