If you experience abnormal, unregulated cell growth within your liver, you may be diagnosed with liver cancer. Each year, the National Cancer Institute estimates that 21,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with liver cancer. Contact your doctor as soon as possible if you develop liver cancer symptoms in order to receive appropriate treatment and prevent the spread of cancer cells to other organs in your body.
Abdominal Pain
Your liver is an organ that is located in between your diaphragm and stomach in the upper right side of your abdomen. Liver cancer can cause excessive cell growth within the tissue of your liver, which can cause your liver to become irritated and inflamed. If this occurs, your liver can swell and cause symptoms of pain within your abdomen. A swollen liver can also cause bloating within your abdomen or you may be able to feel an abnormal lump beneath your skin within your upper abdomen.
Upset Stomach
If your liver becomes swollen and enlarged due to liver cancer, it can begin to press into the surrounding organs, such as your stomach. If this occurs, you can experience stomach upset as a symptom of liver cancer. Certain people develop nausea or vomiting due to liver cancer, which can be uncomfortable and may be accompanied by abdominal pain and swelling.
Decreased Body Weight
Cancer of the liver can cause patients to experience significant, unintended weight loss. Abdominal pain or stomach upset caused by liver cancer may lead to a loss of appetite in some patients, which can decrease the amount or frequency of food a patient consumes on a daily basis. When this occurs, patients can begin to lose weight.
Jaundice
Cancerous cells within you liver tissue can cause damage to your liver and interfere with its ability to function normally. Due to this, you may develop a condition called jaundice. Jaundice is a sign of liver damage and is characterized by an abnormal yellow color of the eyes or skin.
Fatigue
If you have liver cancer, you can become abnormally fatigued. Excessive fatigue may interfere with your ability to complete responsibilities associated with your daily routine. Fatigue can also contribute to sensations of weakness throughout your body, explain health professionals at The Mayo Clinic.
