TABLE I.

What can primary health care providers do about liver cancer?

Be vigilant about liver cancer and hepatitis B virus (hbv) infection in recent immigrants (especially Asian men) and in household contacts of individuals who are at high risk of hbv infection. Concomitant risk factors to consider are older age, persistence of viral replication, and co-infection with hiv, or the presence of other liver diseases. Be vigilant about liver cancer and hepatitis C virus (hcv) infection in high-risk populations such as injection drug users, recipients of blood transfusions before 1990, and recent immigrants from high-prevalence countries. Testing for hcv should be undertaken in patients who show abnormal aminotransferase or who are past or active injection drug users, blood transfusion recipients before 1990, or immigrants from countries of high hcv prevalence. Counselling against binge drinking and prompt treatment of chronic hbv and hcv infections can help to reduce the burden of liver cirrhosis. Consult the latest Canadian hbv and hcv clinical management guidelines at http://www.hepatology.ca/cm/. Consult the latest Canadian clinical management and treatment guidelines for hepatocellular carcinoma at http://www.current-oncology.com/index.php/oncology/article/view/952.