Symptoms of liver cancer

Cancer that starts in the liver (primary liver cancer) doesn't usually cause symptoms in the early stages. If you do have symptoms, they can include: 

  • weight loss

  • feeling or being sick

  • loss of appetite or feeling full after eating small amounts

  • yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice)

  • itching

  • swollen tummy (abdomen)

  • pain or discomfort in your abdomen

  • a lump in the right side of your abdomen

  • pain in your right shoulder or in your back

  • feeling weak or tired (fatigue)

  • high temperature (fever)

If you already have a liver condition such as cirrhosis, tell your doctor if you have any new or worsening symptoms.

Symptoms of liver cancer are often quite vague and vary depending on where the cancer is.

See your GP if you have any of these symptoms. Or you have symptoms that are unusual for you or won't go away. Your symptoms are unlikely to be cancer, but it is important to get them checked by a doctor.

Weight loss

This is weight loss when you are not trying to lose weight. This could be due to:

  • a loss of appetite
  • feeling full after eating small amounts
  • feeling or being sick

Pain

You may have pain in your tummy (upper abdomen).

A swollen (enlarged) liver can cause pain in your right shoulder or back. This is because the enlarged liver stimulates nerves that connect to nerves in the shoulder. This is called referred pain.

Jaundice

Jaundice is the yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes. It is caused by a blockage in the bile duct or your liver not working properly. 

A swollen tummy (abdomen)

Liver cancer can cause swelling of the tummy (abdomen). This might be because:

  • the liver gets bigger from the growing cancer, and causes swelling on the right side of your abdomen

  • the cancer increases pressure in the liver causing blood to back up in the vessels (veins). This forces fluid out of the veins into the abdomen (ascites)

The increased pressure in the veins can make them swell so they might be seen under the surface of your abdomen. Ascites can also develop when the liver isn’t making enough blood protein (albumin).

A swollen abdomen might cause discomfort or pain, and a loss of appetite or feeling full quickly. It can also cause breathlessness or swollen feet.

Diagram showing fluid (ascites) in the abdomen
  • Cancer: Principles and Practice of Oncology (12th edition)
    VT DeVita, TS Lawrence, SA Rosenberg
    Wolters Kluwer, 2023

  • Suspected cancer: recognition and referral
    National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), June 2015 (updated 2023)

  • Scottish referral guidelines for suspected cancer
    Scottish Government, January 2019 (updated 2022)

  • Northern Ireland Referral Guidance for Suspected cancer – Red Flag Criteria
    Northern Ireland Cancer Network (NICaN), June 2024

  • Clinical features and diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma
    UpToDate
    Accessed June 2024

  • The information on this page is based on literature searches and specialist checking. We used many references and there are too many to list here. Please contact patientinformation@cancer.org.uk if you would like to see the full list of references we used for this information.

Last reviewed: 
13 Mar 2025
Next review due: 
13 Mar 2028

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