Q&A: 10 cancer-related misconceptions

Q: Does staying up late contribute to liver cancer?

A: There is no relevant scientific research to prove that staying up late will cause liver cancer. Common risk factors for suffering from the cancer include hepatitis virus infection, liver cirrhosis, alcoholism, gene mutation, hereditary metabolic disease, smoking, obesity, etc, and the causes have not been fully found.

Staying up late may lead to disruption of the human circadian rhythm, thus affecting the body's immunity and metabolic capacity and weakening the immune system. This would have a certain impact on liver function, and may increase the risk of suffering from liver cancer, but it does not mean that staying up late will definitely contribute to cancer. Everyone should develop good living habits and those who have liver disease should actively seek treatment.