Doctor warns of liver cancer risk from three common foods

Three familiar foods—sweet-filled chocolate, pork liver sausage, and peanut brittle—seem harmless but act as a "ticking time bomb" for the liver.

Speaking on TVBS's "Health 2.0" program, Doctor Chien Cheng-hung, a gastroenterology and hepatology specialist at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital Keelung, Taiwan, recounted the case of a female patient facing a high risk of liver cancer. The patient, despite suffering from severe fatty liver and receiving warnings about the potential progression to liver cancer, continued her unhealthy lifestyle and consumed her favorite foods: sweet-filled chocolate, pork liver sausage, and peanut brittle.

Doctor Chien explained that the patient was referred by an oncologist for an abdominal ultrasound. When questioned about her medical history, she confirmed previous diagnoses of stage 3 breast cancer at age 53 and stage 2 colorectal cancer at age 56. Thanks to adherence to surgical protocols, chemotherapy, and intensive treatments, her health had recovered.

Clinical examination results revealed the patient was overweight, had severe fatty liver, and high blood sugar due to poor diabetes management. The doctor analyzed that beyond genetic factors, an unhealthy diet and lifestyle were major contributors to her increased risk of recurrence or developing other diseases, especially given her history of cancer.

Illustrative photo. *Reuters*

When asked about her eating habits, the patient admitted a lifelong fondness for sweet-filled chocolate, pork liver sausage, and peanut brittle. She continued to eat these foods even during her breast and colorectal cancer treatments. Doctor Chien warned the patient to immediately eliminate these three foods from her daily diet.

"These are highly processed foods, rich in sugar and fat," Doctor Chen stated. "When combined with severe fatty liver and obesity, the risk of developing a third liver cancer is significant."

The woman's response to the doctor's advice surprised him. She mentioned that her previous oncologist had issued similar warnings, but she could not resist the delicious taste of the foods, especially the pork liver sausage. The patient even suggested that "if she unfortunately developed liver cancer, with the advancement of modern medicine, she would simply need to return to the hospital for treatment."

Doctor Chien expressed concern over the patient's indifferent attitude. Despite having endured the physical and emotional toll of breast and colorectal cancer, this misplaced "optimism" posed the greatest threat to her health. He emphasized that the patient needed to face reality, actively manage her weight, and immediately abandon harmful foods instead of relying solely on future treatments.