Steroid Use and Liver Cancer

Anabolic steroids have their legitimate uses, but abusing them can bring on a variety of health problems - some of which are connected to liver cancer.


Although well-documented reports linking steroids to liver cancer are rare, as more athletes use drugs to improve their performance or build their bodies, many types of dangerous side effects from the abuse of anabolic steroids are becoming known — and events are becoming more frequent.

Recently, there have been many instances in the news about famous athletes and performance-enhancing drugs, sometimes referred to as "doping." In most cases, the drugs that are being used are anabolic steroids. These drugs are manufactured steroids that behave like the male hormone testosterone. In the United States, it is illegal to use anabolic steroids without a prescription.

"Anabolic steroids are male-related hormones that can be used to increase muscle mass. When these drugs are abused they can have many side effects, including liver damage.

Liver Cancer: What Anabolic Steroids Can Treat

Anabolic steroids, under a doctor's prescription, will treat certain conditions in which increasing bone strength and muscle mass are required for health reasons. These medications can be helpful in the following types of cases:

    Delayed puberty
    Testosterone deficiency
    AIDS-related weakness

Liver Cancer: Anabolic Steroid-Related Liver Damage

Liver damage from anabolic steroids can cause a condition called cholestasis. With this condition, bile, a digestive fluid made in your liver, cannot get to where it needs to go and leaks out into your blood. Symptoms include:

    Itching
    Nausea
    Loss of appetite
    Dark urine
    Jaundice — the yellow discoloration of your eyes and skin

Damage to the liver is evident when enzymes called aminotransferases leak out of damaged liver cells into your bloodstream.

Another important point about anabolic steroids: They can be addictive. These steroids can cause steroid craving that leads to the need for more frequent and higher drug doses. Liver damage has been shown to be related to the cumulative effects of higher and more frequent use.

Liver Cancer: Can Anabolic Steroids Cause It?

Reports exist showing a slightly increased risk of developing liver cancer with long-term use of high-dose anabolic steroids. However,  the scientific evidence supporting a cause-and-effect relationship is weak.

But these steroids are known to cause tumors that form in your liver. Called hepatic adenomas, these tumors are not cancerous. However, they are dangerous because they can rupture and cause serious bleeding in the liver. There have been several reported deaths caused by bleeding from ruptured hepatic adenomas. The link between hepatic adenomas and anabolic steroid use in athletes is increasing. Recently, a case of a hepatic adenoma turning into liver cancer was reported.

Liver Cancer: Anabolic Side Effects

While there is not a strong link between liver cancer and anabolic steroids, there is strong evidence for serious liver damage. Other side effects of anabolic steroids include:

    High blood pressure
    Increased levels of bad cholesterol
    Mood swings
    Aggressive behavior
    Infertility in men
    Menstrual abnormalities in women

If you are an athlete or a body-builder and you are tempted to use anabolic steroids, consider that besides the legal and social risks involved, these drugs can and do cause life-theatening medical complications.