Benign liver tumors are not uncommon. These are growths in the liver that do not cause deadly cancer or spread to other areas of the body. In other words, they do not really put anyone’s life at risk. Many of those with benign liver tumors do not know that they have them due to the absence of symptoms. More often than not, their presence are only discovered only when the person who has them undergoes diagnostic procedures such as ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT) scan for another condition.
According to medical authorities, there are 3 common types of benign growths or masses in the liver. They are:
1. Hemangiomas – These are the most common benign liver tumors, and they are made up of abnormal blood vessel masses. It is said that women are more at risk of having hemangiomas than men. The presence of hemangiomas does not usually yield any symptom. The only time symptoms show up is when the growths become really large or are situated right next to another organ of the body.
2. Focal nodular hyperplasias or (FNH) – Another very common type of benign liver tumors, these hyperplasias do not require treatment. However, a doctor may recommend their surgical removal if they are extremely large or are already causing pain. It is said that FNH is more common in women between 20 and 30 years of age.
3. Hepatocellular adenomas – These benign growths in the liver are not as common as hemangiomas and focal nodular hyperplasias. Women of childbearing age are at high risk of having hepatocellular adenomas, which are linked by the experts to the high doses of estrogen in oral contraceptives. To help shrink the growths, it’s not unlikely for a doctor to recommend the discontinuation of oral contraceptive use.
Medical Management
Commonly, benign liver tumors require no medical treatment. That’s because they do not spread to other body parts, they do not put the person’s life at risk, and they tend to go away on their own. However, there are instances wherein the growths become really large, causing symptoms such as discomfort and pain. When such happens, surgical removal of the benign tumors is often recommended, which comes in 4 types:
1. Life-saving surgery – This is performed during emergency situations, such as the spontaneous rupturing of hemangiomas which are made up of blood vessels, thus causing bleeding and may lead to shock.
2. Symptomatic surgery – As mentioned earlier, the presence of benign liver tumors can only cause symptoms when they become really large. The individual may have to go surgery in order to put an end to the discomfort or pain caused by the growths in the liver.
3. Preventive surgery – This medical treatment for benign liver tumors is often suggested for those who are at risk of developing complications.
4. Diagnostic surgery – In case a doctor fails to determine if the growths are benign or cancerous through some imaging tests such as ultrasound, MRI and CT scan, this type of surgery is often carried out for identification purposes.
Home Remedies
There are a handful of home remedies that are said to be very effective in shrinking benign liver tumors. By dealing with these masses naturally, it’s possible to dodge the steep cost and complications of undergoing surgery. Here are some of the best ways to reduce the size of benign tumors in the liver naturally:
• Turmeric – The compound curcumin is what makes turmeric highly effective against benign liver tumors.
• Mangosteen – The consumption of mangosteen or the intake of supplements and teas derived from mangosteen is known to help zap those growths due to the anti-tumor potential of the said fruit.
• Noni – Just like mangosteen, this exotic fruit is revered for its anti-tumor potential.
• Green tea – The simple intake of green tea regularly may help decrease the size of those tumors and even prevent the formation of new ones.
• Lapacho – Traditional healers in South America had been using lapacho for dissolving tumors for years now.
• Apricot – It is said that consuming 6 to 12 apricot kernels daily can help make those benign liver masses go away.
