How to rule out liver cancer when experiencing right shoulder pain?

Written by Yan Chun
Oncology
Updated on October 27, 2024
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Some liver cancer patients may experience abdominal pain that radiates to the shoulder and back, resulting in right shoulder pain. Therefore, when a patient presents with right shoulder pain, to rule out the possibility of liver cancer, some laboratory tests or radiological examinations can be conducted, and if necessary, histopathological examinations can also be performed.

If hematological examination does not show an abnormal increase in AFP levels, and radiological examinations do not reveal any abnormal liver conditions such as large masses, nodular tumors, or diffuse liver lesions, and there is no history of hepatitis or cirrhosis, it is generally possible to rule out right shoulder pain caused by liver cancer.

To determine the exact cause of the pain, examinations such as X-rays of the right shoulder, CT scans, and if necessary, MRI or bone scans can be conducted to exclude right shoulder pain caused by liver cancer lesions.

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