A healthy liver will reduce your risk of cancer taking hold

By Dr Sandra Cabot

When we think about preventing cancer as well as reducing the risk of cancer spreading, we think about the immune system and most people don’t think about the liver’s important role in this. It is important to know that a healthy liver can increase our chances of surviving cancer.

The liver can filter out and destroy circulating tumour (cancer) cells (CTCs) and uses several strategies to do this.

The liver is a physical and mechanical filter known as the hepatic sinusoidal system and contains several components  –

  • Kupffer Cells (KCs) – the soldiers:

These specialised cells live in the liver filter and are known as resident macrophages because they stay there and are hopefully plentiful in numbers. The Kupffer cells are the liver’s primary line of defence. Kupffer cells detect and eat (phagocytose) foreign particles and non-self-cells, including blood-borne (circulating) cancer cells. Kupffer cell’s ability to destroy circulating cancer cells is critical in reducing cancer spread and growth in the very early stages of cancer.

  • Liver Sinusoidal Endothelial Cells (LSECs) – the gatekeepers:

These cells line the sinusoids and act as gatekeepers. The sinusoids are blood filled spaces in between the liver cells (hepatocytes). LSECs have open pores called fenestrations that act as a sieve, allowing the passage of small molecules while trapping larger particles and cells (including circulating cancer cells). Once trapped in the narrow sinusoids, they can be destroyed by Kupffer cells and other immune cells. The LSECs also play a role in immune tolerance which can reduce autoimmune diseases

  • Natural Killer (NK) Cells – the assassins:

The liver sinusoids also contain NK cells (also known as “pit cells”) and they are extremely good at killing incoming cancer cells. They work with Kupffer cells and LSECs to eliminate cancer cells.

The liver’s sinusoidal system is a powerful line of defence against circulating cancer cells.

To understand how to have a healthy liver see my book titled The Liver Cleansing Diet

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