Unusual liver cancer symptom that can be noticed when carrying shopping

12 November 2023 , 11:31

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A sign of liver cancer might be pain in your shoulder while carrying shopping (Image: Getty)

When you are doing your shopping or housework, it is normal to feel a bit tired and achy - but if you notice a pain in your shoulder, it could be a sign of something more serious.

Cancer Research UK says that pain in the shoulder is one of the lesser-known symptoms of liver cancer. Every year, over 6,000 people are diagnosed with the disease, but many cases are not spotted until it is too late. This means that less than one in ten will survive for more than ten years after their diagnosis.

The charity explains that primary liver cancer, which starts in the liver, does not usually cause symptoms in the early stages. However, there are some key signs to watch out for, and some can even show up when you're doing ordinary tasks.

One of these signs is a pain in the right shoulder, which can be noticed even when carrying shopping or washing up. Cancer Research UK explains: "A swollen (enlarged) liver can cause pain in your right shoulder. This is because the enlarged liver stimulates nerves that connect to nerves in the shoulder. This is called referred pain."

This shoulder pain is just one of several symptoms that the charity advises people to look out for. It also lists other symptoms to be aware of.

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Several symptoms of liver cancer affect the abdomen. This could be due to the liver swelling from the growing cancer, causing a bulge on the right side of your tummy or increased pressure in the liver forcing fluid into the abdomen (ascites).

The NHS advises that you should see a GP if you have a lump in your tummy or have lost a lot of weight without trying. It also recommends seeing your doctor if you have any other symptoms of liver cancer that get worse or don't improve after two weeks.

The NHS says: "Many of these symptoms are very common and can be caused by different conditions. Having them does not definitely mean you have liver cancer. But it's important to get them checked by a GP. This is because if they're caused by cancer, finding it early may mean it's easier to treat."

Symptoms of liver cancer:

• the whites of your eyes turning yellow or your skin turning yellow, which may be less obvious on brown or black skin (jaundice) – you may also have itchy skin, darker pee and paler poo than usual
• loss of appetite or losing weight without trying to
• feeling tired or having no energy
• feeling generally unwell or having symptoms like flu
• a lump in the right side of your tummy

Other symptoms can affect your digestion, such as:

• feeling or being sick
• pain at the top right side of your tummy or in your right shoulder
• symptoms of indigestion, such as feeling full very quickly when eating
• a very swollen tummy that is not related to when you eat

* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story. You can report any errors to [email protected]

Chiara Fiorillo