what causes liver cancer

Liver cancer can be caused by a variety of factors, with the most common being chronic infections with hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) . These infections can lead to longstanding inflammation in the liver, which can accumulate mutations in the liver cells DNA, causing them to grow out of control and eventually form a tumor. Additionally, cirrhosis, a condition in which healthy liver tissue is replaced by scar tissue, is a significant risk factor for liver cancer. Cirrhosis can be caused by chronic alcoholism, chronic hepatitis infections, obesity, and an unhealthy diet. Other risk factors for liver cancer include being overweight or having obesity, smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol, having nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, having diabetes, and exposure to certain chemicals. It is important to note that while these factors increase the risk of developing liver cancer, not everyone with these risk factors will develop the disease.