Health Officials Bring Insight to Rare, Deadliest Form of Cancer

ST. CLOUD -- Breast Cancer isn't the only form cancer health officials are bringing awareness too this month. October is also Liver Cancer Awareness Month.

Erin Merdan is a Registered Nurse Cancer Coordinator at the Coborn Cancer Center. She says while liver cancer is rare, it's one of the more fatal types of cancers.

It's the sixth most common cancer worldwide, and it's the second most common cause of death from cancer.

Liver cancer is most common in men over the age of 75. There are less than 200,000 cases diagnosed per year.

Merdan says the biggest warning sign of liver cancer is jaundice or yellow coloring of your skin and eyes, however the early stages of the cancer usually goes unnoticed.

The early stages of this cancer usually don't produce symptoms, so the disease is generally advanced once it's diagnosed.

She says ways to help reduce your risk of liver cancer include drinking alcohol in moderation, maintain a healthy weight and get vaccinated against Hepatitis B and take measures to prevent Hepatitis C.