The doctor listed the myths about cirrhosis of the liver

One of the most common myths about cirrhosis of the liver is that it is perceived only as a disease of people with alcoholism. Vera Seryozhina, an expert doctor at the LabQuest medical company, told about this on Thursday, January 29.

"Cirrhosis is the final stage of a long—term process of liver cell death. At the site of the dead hepatocytes, fibrous and then coarse scar tissue is formed, which is no longer able to perform the functions of an organ. The liver does not hurt, so often a person does not see any reason to be examined until the changes become irreversible," the doctor explained in an interview with Lenta.Ru .

According to Seryozhina, alcohol remains a significant, but not the only risk factor for the development of the disease: it can be affected by a number of viral and bacterial infections, harmful production, prolonged use of medications, as well as herbal remedies with toxic effects and metabolic disorders.

"Another dangerous myth is the belief that if the tests are normal, then everything is fine. Key processes can remain hidden for a long time, which is why cirrhosis is often detected even when the possibilities of organ regeneration have been exhausted," the specialist warned.

The doctor noted that no amount of liver support with hepatoprotectors will stop the process unless a person changes their lifestyle and eliminates risk factors. At the same time, a healthy lifestyle by itself is not an automatic protection against cirrhosis, Seryozhina emphasized.

She stressed that the only real way to reduce the risk is regular liver diagnostics, especially in the presence of risk factors.

Treatment vector: 15 types of high-tech medical care have become available under compulsory medical insurance

How will this affect the availability of medicine?

Earlier, on December 7, 2025, it was reported that for the first time, an auxiliary pig liver transplant from a genetically modified pig to a human was successfully performed. The patient lived for 171 days, which confirmed the ability of such organs to perform important metabolic and synthetic functions. The operation opens up prospects for solving the shortage of donor organs, but technical and medical limitations remain for long-term survival after such procedures. The patient was a 71-year-old man with cirrhosis of the liver and cancer, who was not suitable for traditional transplantation.

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