What are the differences between cirrhosis and liver cancer?

The main differences between cirrhosis and liver cancer include: 1. **Nature and Prognosis**: Cirrhosis is a benign condition, and with standardized treatment, the prognosis is generally favorable. Liver cancer is a malignant condition with a poorer prognosis; even with treatment, the survival rate remains relatively low. 2. **Symptoms**: Patients with cirrhosis often experience fatigue, indigestion, endocrine disorders, and anemia. Patients with liver cancer may exhibit symptoms such as unexplained low-grade fever, abdominal pain, diarrhea, weight loss, and fatigue, with pain in the liver area being common. 3. **Ultrasound Examination**: On ultrasound, cirrhosis typically presents with an enlarged liver and an uneven liver surface. Liver cancer may show nodules or large masses of varying sizes. 4. **Treatment Methods**: Cirrhosis requires antiviral therapy, surgical intervention, and other approaches. Liver cancer treatments include surgery, liver transplantation, radiofrequency ablation, and others. 5. **Pathogenesis**: Cirrhosis involves progressive, diffuse, fibrotic liver lesions, whereas liver cancer is characterized by space-occupying malignant liver lesions.