You can lower your risk for developing liver cancer by leading a healthy lifestyle, such as regular exercise, controlling your weight, and eating a healthy balanced diet with limited amounts of alcohol.
It's also important to avoid infection with the hepatitis B and C viruses. Hepatitis B and/or C infection can lead to liver scarring (cirrhosis), liver failure and liver cancer.
Family members of patients with hepatitis B are advised to check their own hepatitis B status. Children are currently advised hepatitis B immunization at birth for as part of the Singapore national programme. Vaccines for hepatitis B are available for children and adults. If you are at risk for hepatitis B or C infection, consider undergoing a screening test.
If you have chronic hepatitis B, you might be a candidate for antiviral therapy, which can slow down the progression of liver disease and may decrease (but not eliminate totally) the risk of liver cancer.
There is no vaccine for hepatitis C currently but the right treatment may eliminate the virus.
If you have chronic hepatitis, you should visit your doctors for regular surveillance with imaging tests, such as ultrasound.
