What are the characteristics of pain in patients with liver cancer

Most patients with advanced liver cancer will experience pain in the liver area, with an incidence rate of over 50%. This is mainly because the rapid growth of the central tumor compresses or invades the liver capsule, which has abundant nerve endings, causing pain.

The pain in the liver area of ​​liver cancer patients is usually located in the right rib or under the xiphoid process, and is usually persistent, dull or stabbing. However, the pain in a few liver cancer patients can be relieved in the short term, giving the false impression that the condition has improved. However, the pain in some liver cancer patients may have special manifestations.

For example, some patients may experience pain in the upper and middle abdomen, which is mostly caused by left lobe liver cancer, and is easily misdiagnosed as stomach disease, delaying the treatment of liver cancer; some patients may experience right shoulder pain, which is more common in tumors in the right lobe close to the diaphragm. The diaphragm is involved and causes referred pain in the right shoulder, which is easily misdiagnosed as frozen shoulder; a small number of patients may experience sudden severe pain in the liver area, which is mostly caused by rupture and bleeding of cancerous nodules on the surface of the liver. If the patient is also accompanied by dizziness, blurred vision, palpitations, and low blood pressure, it is very likely caused by rupture of the cancerous nodule and severe internal bleeding, which requires emergency treatment.

In addition, patients with liver cancer metastasized to the abdominal lymph nodes may experience back pain, patients with liver cancer metastases to the spine may also experience back pain, patients with liver cancer metastases to other bones may experience pain in the corresponding parts, and patients with liver cancer metastases to the brain may experience headaches and nausea.