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The silent organ: Liver diseases sometimes have no symptoms
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(Updated 7:58 p.m.) On Monday morning, actor Mark Gil passed away of liver cancer, his family announced in a statement.
In a press release by St. Luke's Center for Liver Diseases, Juliet L. Gopez-Cervantes, MD characterized the liver as a vital organ, without which a person could not possibly survive. However, she added, it is also a "silent organ."
"It is a silent organ because it can be damaged without sending any signals or symptoms. Many people live with liver disease for a long time without ever knowing it," she said.
Some of the symptoms of liver disease may be nonspecific to the liver, and often patients have few or no signs of any liver disease at all, which makes the disease all the more dangerous.
There are, however, common and visible symptoms of a disease like cirrhosis of the liver, including yellowing of the skin or jaundice, fatigue, weakness, loss of appetite, itching, and easy bruising because of the inability of the liver to function for blood clotting.
Causes and prevention
In the Philippines, the leading cause of liver damage that may lead to liver cirrhosis and liver cancer since 2012 has been Hepatitis B, according to a report by the Hepatology Society of the Philippines.
Moreover, studies show that there are “more than 7.7 million people chronically infected with hepatitis B, of whom between 1.1 and 1.9 million are expected to die prematurely of cirrhosis or liver cancer.”
Alcohol is another common cause of liver disease.
According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 20 percent to 50 percent of cirrhosis cases, as well as other complications such as epilepsy, poisonings, and several types of cancer, are caused by excessive alcohol consumption.
Other causes of cirrhosis, according to medicinenet.com, are certain medications, viruses, toxic metals such as iron and copper that may accumulate in the liver as a result of genetic diseases, and autoimmune liver disease in which the body's immune system attacks the liver.
According to the Mayo Clinic, it is possible to reduce your risk of contracting cirrhosis and other liver diseases by making lifestytle adjustments, such as drinking in moderation (if at all), eating a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight and refraining from behavior that increase your risk of hepatitis B and C.
Coming from one of the most respected showbiz clans, the Gawad Urian award-winning Gil enjoyed a notable career that spanned almost four decades since making a name for himself with a remarkable portrayal of a fraternity neophyte in Mike de Leon's "Batch '81".
Gil's family has requested privacy while they mourn his loss. — Banca Rose Dabu/BM, GMA News
In a press release by St. Luke's Center for Liver Diseases, Juliet L. Gopez-Cervantes, MD characterized the liver as a vital organ, without which a person could not possibly survive. However, she added, it is also a "silent organ."
"It is a silent organ because it can be damaged without sending any signals or symptoms. Many people live with liver disease for a long time without ever knowing it," she said.
Some of the symptoms of liver disease may be nonspecific to the liver, and often patients have few or no signs of any liver disease at all, which makes the disease all the more dangerous.
There are, however, common and visible symptoms of a disease like cirrhosis of the liver, including yellowing of the skin or jaundice, fatigue, weakness, loss of appetite, itching, and easy bruising because of the inability of the liver to function for blood clotting.
Causes and prevention
In the Philippines, the leading cause of liver damage that may lead to liver cirrhosis and liver cancer since 2012 has been Hepatitis B, according to a report by the Hepatology Society of the Philippines.
Moreover, studies show that there are “more than 7.7 million people chronically infected with hepatitis B, of whom between 1.1 and 1.9 million are expected to die prematurely of cirrhosis or liver cancer.”
Alcohol is another common cause of liver disease.
According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 20 percent to 50 percent of cirrhosis cases, as well as other complications such as epilepsy, poisonings, and several types of cancer, are caused by excessive alcohol consumption.
Other causes of cirrhosis, according to medicinenet.com, are certain medications, viruses, toxic metals such as iron and copper that may accumulate in the liver as a result of genetic diseases, and autoimmune liver disease in which the body's immune system attacks the liver.
According to the Mayo Clinic, it is possible to reduce your risk of contracting cirrhosis and other liver diseases by making lifestytle adjustments, such as drinking in moderation (if at all), eating a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight and refraining from behavior that increase your risk of hepatitis B and C.
Coming from one of the most respected showbiz clans, the Gawad Urian award-winning Gil enjoyed a notable career that spanned almost four decades since making a name for himself with a remarkable portrayal of a fraternity neophyte in Mike de Leon's "Batch '81".
Gil's family has requested privacy while they mourn his loss. — Banca Rose Dabu/BM, GMA News
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