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does chirosis always turn into liver cancer?

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Posted 5/12/2007 11:36 PM (GMT 0)
New here,,, AIH..... been reading the boards....

does chirosis always turn into liver cancer????

Do AIH patients develop chirosis?

Sorry if these are dumb questions... but its all new to me.

Thanks.

Posted 5/13/2007 10:52 PM (GMT 0)
Welcome,

Questions are always encouraged but we don't always have the answers.

The risk of developing liver cancer with cirrhosis is higher than normal but not everyone develops it. I don't know if everyone with AIH has cirrhosis; others can answer that question better than I can.

Barb

Posted 5/16/2007 11:08 AM (GMT 0)
Hello itsme,

I have AIH and when it was diagnosed three years ago, I already had cirrhosis. It depends on how much damage is caused to the liver before diagnosis and treatment commences. My heptologist thinks I may have had AIH for up to twenty years. The symptoms are often not aparent until the damage has been done.

I have a blood test as an indicator for liver cancer every three months and a liver scan each year. At least I know if cancer develops, it will be picked up early.

Hope you find answers here and the support you need.

Take care.
Marg
Posted 5/16/2007 11:10 AM (GMT 0)
And adding to my last post. I don't think all AIH sufferers get cirrhosis and my heptologist says cirrhosis does not always develop into cancer but the chance is greater if cirrhosis is present.

Marg
Posted 5/24/2007 5:53 AM (GMT 0)
Marg, I was having blood work done every 6 months, as well as an annual sonogram, but my cancerous liver tumor was huge before it was detected. Make sure your blood work includes an alpha feto protein. I would also recommend a CT scan or MRI with contrast. I had become complacent and had 4 hip replacements and revisions in the past 5 years, so that had become my focus.

Hugs,
Connie
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