Symptoms of Liver Cancer

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Liver cancer is a silent tumor, as its symptoms usually appear when the disease is already advanced or in the case of complications.

It is most commonly detected through abnormalities found in imaging tests (such as ultrasound) performed for other reasons or when individuals participate in liver cancer screening programs. 

The most common symptoms of liver cancer are: 

Tired, sweating man

Tiredness. Tiredness is a typical symptom in patients with chronic liver disease, consequently a sudden worsening of this symptom is cause to suspect the presence of a liver tumour

Standing person with swollen abdomen or ascites

Increase in abdominal girth. Liver cancer can be associated with abdominal fluid retention (called ascites) that manifests as an increase in abdominal circumference.  

Person with jaundice or yellowing of the skin and mucous membranes

Jaundice. In advanced stages, patients often develop a yellow discoloration of the skin and mucous membranes. 

Standing person with abdominal pain

Abdominal pain. Only the liver’s surrounding capsule has sensitive nerve endings, which means that as long as tumour growth is limited to inside the liver, it rarely causes any pain. However, when it penetrates outside the capsule or the abnormal growth causes distension, patients will generally notice a constant, low-intensity abdominal pain. 

Closed stomach, lack of appetite and anorexia

Loss of appetite and weight loss. These symptoms are indicative of an advanced tumour

Substantiated information by:

Alejandro Forner González
Jordi Bruix Tudo
María Reig Monzón
Neus Llarch Alfonso

Published: 13 May 2020
Updated: 17 July 2025

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