Do you have liver cysts? Let's talk about liver cysts.

Have you ever had a scan for some other reason and seen a "liver cyst" on the report? You must have been a little scared when you saw that. You might have thought, "Oh, is this cancer?" But is this really something to be afraid of? Let's talk about these liver cysts in a simple and clear way.

What exactly are liver cysts?

Simply put, liver cysts are small, fluid-filled sacs that form on or inside your liver. Think of them as small water blisters. The vast majority of these, about ninety-nine percent, are harmless, noncancerous (benign) cysts. Most of the time, they don't even get big enough to cause symptoms. However, very rarely, some cysts can be caused by genetic disorders. In those cases, treatment may be necessary.

How common are these tumors? Who gets them most often?

These harmless simple cysts are actually more common than you might think. Worldwide, between 5 and 10 out of every 100 people may have liver cysts.

These are usually seen in people between the ages of 30 and 70. But the important thing is that only a very small number of people, about 10% to 15%, develop symptoms. This means that many people don't even know they have a tumor in their liver.

The question that everyone fears: Can these tumors be cancerous?

This is the biggest fear in many people's minds. But the truth is, the chances of a normal cyst developing in the liver becoming cancerous are very, very low.

• About 1 to 5 out of 100 such tumors develop into a ``precancerous`` condition that has the potential to become cancerous.
• Of those, only about 30% actually develop into cancer.

That means that overall, the risk is very low. However, there are two specific types of watery eyes that we need to pay attention to. These may require treatment.

What causes these tumors to form?

These common liver cysts are often congenital. This means that they may be present in the liver when we are born. But doctors still don't know exactly why they happen.

What are the symptoms of this?

As mentioned earlier, many people do not experience any symptoms. A tumor is discovered during a scan for another reason. However, if a tumor is larger than 4 centimeters or is located in a sensitive area, some symptoms may occur.

• A dull pain in the upper right side of the abdomen, as if something is stuck.
• Bloating.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Feeling full even after eating a little is anorexia.
• Feeling short of breath.
• The feeling of being caught in the hand like a big tumor in the stomach.
• Jaundice - This is a yellowing of the eyes and skin. This occurs when the bile ducts are blocked by gallstones.
• If a tumor ruptures, there is a sudden onset of fever and severe abdominal pain.

If you have symptoms like these, you should definitely see your doctor.

How do doctors find these?

Most of the time, these are found by chance. If you have any doubts, your doctor can order various tests to determine the exact nature of the tumor.

In addition to these scans, the doctor may also examine your body, ask you and your family about your medical history, and sometimes even perform blood tests (serodiagnostic tests).

What are the treatments for this?

The first thing to remember is that most normal cysts don't require any treatment. The doctor may say, "Let's just watch this." That means doing a scan every now and then to see if the cyst changes size.

However, if a tumor is larger than 4 centimeters, causes pain or other symptoms, or is suspected of being cancerous, it is referred for treatment.

• Percutaneous aspiration: With the help of a scanner, a needle is inserted into the right spot and the fluid inside the cyst is removed.
• Cyst fenestration: The cyst wall is surgically removed.
• Hepatic resection: The part of the liver with the tumor is completely removed through surgery.
• Surgery:Methods such as open surgery or laparoscopy are used to remove normal or cancerous tumors.
• Liver transplantation: This is only done in cases of severe liver damage that cannot be controlled with medications, such as PLD.

Important questions to ask your doctor

If your report says you have a liver tumor, ask your doctor these questions to clear up any doubts you may have.

• "Doctor, how do I know if this is a normal tumor or a cancerous tumor?"
• "What additional tests do I need to do?"
• "Will a biopsy be needed to take a small piece of the liver?"
• "If this is causing me discomfort or pain, can it be removed?"
• "Do you want to continue scanning to see the size of this tumor?"
• "Since I have tumors in my liver, do I need to check for tumors in other parts of my body?"

Never be afraid to ask these questions. It is very important to be clear about your situation.