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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Could Hepatocellular Carcinoma Be Diagnosed Early And Prevented?

Hello, my brother was diagnosed today with hepatocellular carcinoma. He is a Vietnam Veteran and has been in the VA medical care system for many years. He has had symptoms such as swollen feet - too swollen to walk - for at least four years. He has had many symptoms of the disease for many years. I want to know, if there were any preventative measures on the part of his VA doctors that might have helped him prevent this diagnosis. I had been with him myself when he asked the doctors about his feet and there was no concern from the doctors part other that telling him to soak them and stay off of them as much as possible. The same with other symptoms, as well as evidence of lesions on the liver that now, have me scratching my head and asking if there might have been an issue of negligence on the part of his treating physician at the time.
Mon, 9 Mar 2015
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Radiologist,  's  Response
Hi,
Thanks for writing in.

Any cancer, including that of hepatocellular cancer is an evolving diagnosis. This condition is more common in those who have active alcohol intake or might be infected with Hepatits B or Hepatitis C. In my opinion, there is no direct negligence on part of the doctor but doing ultrasound scan of his abdomen at that time might have helped. Even if the hepatocellular cancer is most likely to be a recent development, any suspicious activity in the liver might have been known if this investigation was done earlier.

It is not usual that all people with swollen feet have hepatocellular cancer but swelling in feet can be due to problems involving liver, kidney, heart or thyroid and other conditions. It will help to know the size of the hepatocellular cancer right now and then seek the right treatment at a cancer hospital in your area. Early stages of cancer can be treated by surgery and intensive chemotherapy. Please do not worry.
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Could Hepatocellular Carcinoma Be Diagnosed Early And Prevented?

Hi, Thanks for writing in. Any cancer, including that of hepatocellular cancer is an evolving diagnosis. This condition is more common in those who have active alcohol intake or might be infected with Hepatits B or Hepatitis C. In my opinion, there is no direct negligence on part of the doctor but doing ultrasound scan of his abdomen at that time might have helped. Even if the hepatocellular cancer is most likely to be a recent development, any suspicious activity in the liver might have been known if this investigation was done earlier. It is not usual that all people with swollen feet have hepatocellular cancer but swelling in feet can be due to problems involving liver, kidney, heart or thyroid and other conditions. It will help to know the size of the hepatocellular cancer right now and then seek the right treatment at a cancer hospital in your area. Early stages of cancer can be treated by surgery and intensive chemotherapy. Please do not worry.