Will early-stage liver cancer cause a low-grade fever?

Written by Cui Fang Bo
Oncology
Updated on January 31, 2025
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Patients with early-stage liver cancer may experience low-grade fevers, primarily due to the following two reasons: First, tumor fever. In the early stages of liver cancer, some tumor cells can release tumor mediators into the bloodstream, affecting the function of the temperature regulation center and causing the patient to develop a fever. This type of tumor fever is usually not very high, remaining below 38.5°C, without concurrent symptoms or signs of infection. A complete blood count typically indicates that the total number of white blood cells and the proportion of neutrophils are not elevated. The second scenario involves patients in the early stages of liver cancer experiencing fever due to concurrent infections. These patients often present with symptoms and signs related to infection, such as coughing up phlegm, abdominal pain and diarrhea, and urinary frequency, urgency, or pain. The proportion of white blood cells and neutrophils is significantly increased in these cases.

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Written by Cui Fang Bo
Oncology
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How to reduce fever in late-stage liver cancer

For late-stage liver cancer patients experiencing fever, antipyretic treatment should be based on different circumstances. If the fever is due to an infection, it often exceeds 39℃ and is accompanied by symptoms and signs related to the infection, such as cough and yellow sputum, abdominal pain, diarrhea, frequent urination, urgency, and painful urination. In such cases, antibiotics should be used for anti-infective treatment, along with antipyretic analgesics for fever reduction. If the fever is due to tumor fever or interventions like liver procedures, there are no infection-related factors, usually the temperature does not exceed 38.5℃, and there are no symptoms or signs related to infection. The treatment primarily involves the use of antipyretic analgesics for fever reduction.

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Written by Du Rui Xia
Obstetrics
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Can alpha-fetoprotein confirm liver cancer?

Alpha-fetoprotein is a type of oncofetal antigen and a glycoprotein. It is used clinically as a highly specific marker for diagnosing primary liver cancer. However, elevated alpha-fetoprotein levels do not definitively indicate liver cancer, as although it is a tumor marker with diagnostic significance, elevated levels can also be seen in patients with liver cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis. Additionally, increased alpha-fetoprotein can occur in pregnant women or in the presence of other types of cancer, so further investigation is necessary to confirm the cause.

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Written by Sun Wei
Surgical Oncology
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Which is more treatable, primary liver cancer or metastatic liver cancer?

Primary liver cancer refers to malignant tumors that originate in the liver, while metastatic liver cancer refers to malignant tumors from other parts of the body that have spread to the liver. As to which is easier to treat, it is generally difficult to determine and depends on the control of the primary lesion in cases of metastatic liver cancer; both might be challenging to treat. However, if the lesion in primary liver cancer is relatively small, there may still be an opportunity for surgical treatment. In general, metastatic liver cancer is not amenable to curative surgery because the primary lesion also requires treatment. But in terms of the rate of progression or severity, metastatic liver cancer might progress more slowly, while primary liver cancer generally progresses quite rapidly, making it also very difficult to treat.

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Written by Sun Wei
Surgical Oncology
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The difference between primary liver cancer and secondary liver cancer

Primary liver cancer, also commonly referred to as liver cancer, originates in the liver itself and is not transferred from other parts of the body. Secondary liver cancer occurs when the primary tumor originates in another location and then metastasizes to the liver, causing hepatic space-occupying lesions; this is referred to as secondary liver cancer. The main difference between the two types is their origin. Additionally, primary liver cancer is often solitary but may develop intrahepatic or distant metastases as the disease progresses. In cases of secondary liver cancer, multiple intrahepatic metastatic lesions may be discovered at the onset. Moreover, primary liver cancer may often display an elevated alpha-fetoprotein tumor marker, whereas this marker might be normal in secondary liver cancer.

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Written by Sun Ming Yue
Medical Oncology
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How to alleviate tinnitus caused by liver cancer?

Patients with advanced liver cancer may experience symptoms of tinnitus, which is caused by the liver cancer. It is suggested to complement with some traditional Chinese medicine to effectively alleviate this. If the tumor has already spread or metastasized, it indicates an advanced stage. It is urgent to treat the condition to control its progress, alleviate the patient's suffering, and prolong life. Currently, a more effective method for treating liver cancer is biological therapy. It is recommended to go to a regular hospital for a detailed examination and to follow the doctor’s treatment plan.