Liver cancer may not initially exhibit any obvious signs or symptoms. However, when a liver tumor develops over time, a patient could notice or feel it. Or a doctor might detect it when doing a checkup. Cancer may already be progressing and more challenging to treat at this time.
The symptoms of primary liver cancer, which begins in the liver, and secondary liver cancer, which starts elsewhere and progresses to the liver, are the same.
The following are examples of liver cancer symptoms or signs that may appear. Or, a medical disease other than cancer may be responsible for the symptom or sign’s occurrence.
Early warning symptoms of liver cancer
The symptoms of liver cancer vary from person to person, and any of these symptoms might be caused by another disorder. However, although symptoms of liver cancer tend to appear more frequently in advanced stages, some people do experience them earlier.
Common early warning symptoms for liver cancer
Here are a few common early warning indicators:
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An abdominal lump or mass.
You can have an extremely hard bump or swelling on your right side, directly below your ribs. This mass is frequently asymptomatic, and if you have pain, you may experience additional pain in the areas surrounding the mass.
There may be discomfort or a lump in the left upper abdomen if liver cancer also results in spleen enlargement (splenomegaly).
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Right-Sided Abdominal Pain.
The pressure of a liver tumor on nearby tissues or nerves may cause discomfort, pain, or aching on the right side of the abdomen below the ribs. Take a big breath in and gently touch upward beneath your right rib cage; this is about where your liver is located. The border of your liver may be detected lower in your belly if you have a larger liver.
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Right shoulder-blade pain.
The problem that shoulder-blade discomfort is alerting you to may not even be close to the shoulder blade, making it a misleading sign (due to the way nerves travel in our bodies).
This is how it is with liver cancer. When the pain is coming from the liver instead of the shoulder blade, the tumor (or its spread) may irritate the nerves that provide the false signal to the brain. Though it can happen on either side, this discomfort is most commonly felt in the right shoulder. Your back can also experience discomfort.
Consult your healthcare physician if you feel this, especially if you haven’t recently engaged in any physical activity that may account for it.
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Jaundice.
Jaundice is a disorder where the skin and the whites of the eyes appear yellow. Bile salts accumulate in the skin, which is what causes it.
It is more easily recognized in natural light, such as when you are outside, than in artificial light. Some patients also remark that their bowel motions are white and pale rather than brown, in addition to a yellowing of the skin. In contrast, even without dehydration, urine may seem darker than usual.
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Itching.
Itching can also be brought on by the accumulation of bile salts in the skin that leads to jaundice. We don’t frequently consider itching to be a significant complaint, yet liver disease can cause quite severe itching.
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Bloat and shortness of breath.
Ascites, a fluid accumulation in the abdomen, may be a sign of liver cancer. At first, it could seem like bloating, but some individuals notice that even if they haven’t put on weight, their clothing doesn’t fit well in the waist or that their belt size changes. With time, fluid accumulation in the belly may push up on the lungs, resulting in breathlessness.
Early warning symptoms of liver cancer
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Unintentional and unplanned weight loss or gain.
Unintentional weight loss may be appreciated by some, but if it isn’t brought on by a change in diet or activity, it should always be investigated by a doctor. Unexpected weight loss is characterized as losing 5% of your body weight or more within a six- to twelve-month period without consciously attempting to do so. A 200-pound man dropping 10 pounds over the course of six months without changing his lifestyle would be an example.
Additionally, sudden and rapid weight gain might be a symptom of liver cancer. This often happens as a result of the fast accumulation of abdominal fluid (ascites).
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Poor appetite.
A lack of appetite can be severe with liver problems, but it can happen with many conditions. Even while simply eating modest meals, this might be accompanied by the sensation of being full quite quickly. A trip to the doctor is necessary since these symptoms might be indicators of other malignancies in addition to liver cancer.
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Nausea and vomiting.
Vomiting and nausea are frequent symptoms at all stages of liver cancer and can occur for a variety of reasons. There are several reasons why someone could have nausea and vomiting, but if it happens regularly or if it gets worse, speak with your doctor.
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Fatigue and/or weakness.
Nowadays, it seems like everyone is exhausted, but cancer-related fatigue frequently elevates things to a new level. Cancer fatigue is distinct from regular exhaustion and does not go away after a restful night of sleep. When you compare your current energy level to how it was six to twelve months ago, you may find it simpler to identify this symptom.
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Fever.
A “fever of unknown origin,” or FUO, often known as a low-grade but persistent fever, is a typical sign of liver cancer. A fever of 101 °F (38.33 °C) or higher that persists for three weeks or more without an evident explanation after being examined by three or more medical professionals is referred to as a FUO (or three days in the hospital). A prolonged fever may have a number of additional causes, but it is still advisable to consult your doctor if you have one.
Other signs and symptoms of liver cancer
There are other signs and symptoms that include:
- Easy bleeding or bruising.
- Dilated veins that are visible through the skin on the belly.
- Dark urine.
- Chalky or pale stools.
- Having no energy.
- Fullness following a small meal.
Most of these symptoms might be brought on by various benign liver conditions or infections. As the tumor enlarges and the disease progresses, as in the case of liver cancer, the symptoms might keep changing and getting worse. It’s critical for the patient to consult a doctor for a proper diagnosis if they notice any probable symptoms. Patients with liver cancer in its late stages experience pain frequently. By that time, the disease has most likely progressed, and the patient may be feeling discomfort not just where the liver cancer originated but also where it has spread.
Paraneoplastic syndromes
Rarely, particularly in the early phases of the disease, liver cancer may result in the development of additional problems. Other regions of the body get symptoms from paraneoplastic disorders. Identification of these signs might aid in the detection of liver cancer. The following are a few paraneoplastic syndromes connected to liver cancer:
- High blood calcium levels (Hypercalcemia).
Is a serious problem that can lead to constipation, frequent urination, frequent headaches, nausea, vomiting, and extreme thirst.
- Low blood sugar levels (Hypoglycemia).
This may result in fatigue, fainting, numbness in some facial structures like the cheeks or lips, and an irregular pulse.
- High red blood cell counts (Erythrocytosis).
Headaches, elevated blood pressure, blurred vision, weariness, and nosebleeds are common symptoms.
- High cholesterol levels (Hypercholesterolemia).
Which, if left untreated, may cause cholesterol deposits to build up on the artery walls, increasing the risk of a heart attack and stroke.
- Gynecomastia (male breast enlargement).
Characterized by enlarged breast tissue, breast tenderness, and occasionally nipple discharge
- Shrinkage of men’s testicles.
Primarily characterized by testicular discomfort, edema, and atrophy.
Liver cancer screening
It may be challenging to identify liver cancer early on, when it is often easier to treat, based just on symptoms. Screening may be advisable or helpful for some patients who have a greater risk of getting liver cancer. Contact your healthcare professional to explore screening options if you have one or more risk factors for liver cancer.