Liver Metastasis What is liver metastasis? Liver metastasis is a cancerous tumor that has spread to the liver from cancer that started in another place in the body. It’s also called secondary liver cancer. Primary liver cancer originates in the liver and most commonly affects individuals who have risk factors such as hepatitis or cirrhosis. Most of the time, cancer in the liver is secondary, or metastatic. The cancer cells found in a metastatic liver tumor are not liver cells. They are the cells from the part of the body where primary cancer began (for example, cancerous breast, colon, or lung cells).
What are the symptoms of liver metastasis? There may be no symptoms in the early stages of liver metastasis. In later stages, cancer can cause the liver to swell or obstruct the normal flow of blood and bile. When this happens, the following symptoms may occur: ▪
loss of appetite
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weight loss
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dark-colored urine
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abdominal swelling or bloating
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jaundice, a yellowing of the skin or the whites of the eyes
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pain in the right shoulder
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pain in the upper right abdomen