Liver cancer risk extends beyond alcohol consumption. Doctors highlight five overlooked factors, including missed hepatitis tests, skipping hepatitis B vaccination, uncontrolled weight and diabetes, regular alcohol intake and untreated liver disease, that can damage liver health.
As October marks Liver Cancer Awareness Month, doctors stress the importance of liver health and early prevention. While a common misconception links liver cancer primarily to alcohol abuse, many other silent factors can push even healthy individuals toward the disease. These factors often go unnoticed in daily habits.
Speaking to Livemint, Dr Bappaditya Har, consultant in gastrointestinal oncology, liver transplantation, and hepatobiliary surgery at Narayana RN Tagore Hospital, Kolkata, shared how everyday oversights can elevate risk and what steps people must take to prevent the development of severe liver illness and cancer.
1. Ignoring Hepatitis tests
Many viral infections show no early warning signs. "Hepatitis B and C usually progress without causing any symptoms that would force a person to visit a doctor," explains Dr Har. Because of the silent progression, individuals at risk must undergo regular screenings and blood tests to ensure early detection and prevent serious liver damage.
2. Skipping Hepatitis B vaccine
Preventative measures such as the Hepatitis B vaccine are frequently overlooked due to a lack of awareness. Dr Har notes that “although there is a vaccine against hepatitis B, many individuals skip it because they believe that this infection is not as dangerous as other illnesses like HIV.”
3. Failing to control weight and diabetes
Lifestyle factors play a major role in liver health beyond substance abuse. With modern shifts toward sedentary routines and poor nutrition, conditions like obesity and type 2 diabetes have surged, the doctor pointed out.
Dr Har shared that having excess weight and unmanaged diabetes can directly affect the liver, creating chronic inflammation. This alone can put any individual at risk of liver cancer.
4. Limiting alcohol
While heavy drinking is a well-known threat, moderate or routine consumption can also be damaging. "It is not only intense and prolonged abuse that is dangerous; the regular use of liquor even in low or even limited doses can poison the liver and lead to cirrhosis," cautions Dr Har. Since cirrhosis is a major precursor to liver cancer, monitoring and limiting alcohol intake is critical.
5. Leaving liver disease untreated
Patients already diagnosed with liver conditions require ongoing medical oversight. Dr Har stresses, “Chronically ill people with cirrhosis of the liver or hepatitis infections that leave long-term consequences require constant check-ups and surveillance.”
Neglecting routine checkups and existing diagnoses allows even manageable conditions to progress into severe complications, including risks of liver cancer.
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not to be treated as professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor about any medical condition.
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Sneha Biswas
Sneha Biswas specialises in covering entertainment and pop culture, with a specialisation on Bollywood, Hollywood, OTT platforms, K-pop, K-dramas, and major developments in the US entertainment industry. She believes in telling stories that balance speed with substance, and in making entertainment journalism contextual, culturally aware, and reader-first rather than purely reactive.<br><br> With over six years of experience in digital media, Sneha currently serves as a Deputy Chief Content Producer at Live Mint. She has spent more than three and a half years with the HT Group and returned to the organisation in February 2025, joining Live Mint to uplift the entertainment section. Over the past year, she has been closely involved in entertainment coverage including breaking news, explainers, trend reporting, box office reports and analysis for the audience.<br><br> Sneha is Google News certified, having completed training focused on newsroom best practices, digital reporting, and SEO-driven content strategies. Her work reflects a strong understanding of audience behaviour, search trends, and the evolving consumption patterns of entertainment news across formats.<br><br> Prior to her current role, Sneha has worked across multiple content and editorial functions within digital newsrooms, building expertise in content planning, editing, and real-time coverage. Her professional interests lie at the intersection of entertainment, internet culture, and global pop trends.<br><br> Working for the National city team, Biswas closely follows global entertainment movements while maintaining a strong pulse on what is happening in India.