While many cancers are declining in the United States, new cases of primary liver cancer are on the rise and are expected to continue to increase over the next two decades. Not only is liver cancer among the most challenging cancers to treat, but often it does not produce symptoms until late stages of the disease. Doctors are now encouraging high risk groups, which include those with cirrhosis, or hepatitis B or C to undergo ultrasound screenings every six months to help ensure early detection of the disease.

While it may not always be possible to prevent primary or metastatic liver cancers, you can greatly reduce your risk by taking steps to protect yourself from hepatitis B and C, cirrhosis and other liver diseases. The most effective way to prevent hepatitis B is to receive the hepatitis B vaccine, which provides more than 90 percent protection for both adults and children for years and possibly even lifelong. Infants often receive the vaccine in the first year of life typically at 2, 4, and 9 months of age.

Because no vaccine for hepatitis C exists, the following measures also can play a key role in protecting your health:

  • Educate yourself
    • Understand what viral hepatitis is and how it's transmitted.
  • Know the health status of any sexual partner
    • Refrain from engaging in unprotected sex unless you know for sure that your partner isn't infected with HBV, HCV or any other sexually transmitted disease. If you don't know the health status of your partner, use a new latex condom every time you have vaginal or anal sex.
  • Avoid medications that may cause liver damage
    • Certain over-the-counter medications as well as prescription drugs can increase your risk for developing liver cancer. Also avoid mixing alcohol and acetaminophen such as Tylenol, a combination known to cause liver damage.
  • Avoid or limit alcohol
    • Alcohol is the primary cause of cirrhosis, a leading factor in primary liver cancer and also accelerates the progression of liver diseases. you may have and is the leading cause of cirrhosis.
  • Use a clean needle if you inject drugs
    • Contaminated drug paraphernalia is responsible for about half of all new hepatitis C cases. The surest way to protect yourself from HCV is not to inject drugs. If that is not possible, use only sterile needles and don't share them. Also considering participating in needle exchange programs in your community and seek help for your drug use.
  • Avoid body piercing and tattooing
    • Needles that have not been properly sterilized are also a source for spreading the hepatitis C virus.

Be cautious about blood products in certain countries. Most Americans with HCV became infected through blood transfusions received before 1992 - the year improved blood-screening tests became available. Although the blood supply is now well screened in the United States, this is not always true in other countries. If an emergency requires that you receive blood or blood products in another country, get tested for HCV and HBV as soon as you return home.

Avoid exposure to environmental toxins. Your liver is your body's primary filtering system that filters every substance you ingest, inhale or apply to your skin. Therefore, you should avoid exposure to toxic substances, including pesticides on foods and suspected carcinogens in shampoos and cosmetics as much as possible.