A persistent, unexplained ache in your right shoulder might be more than a simple injury or poor posture—it could be an early warning sign of liver cancer, doctors caution. This “phantom” pain, felt in the shoulder but originating from the liver, is often overlooked because the arm itself feels normal, making it a subtle but critical symptom.
Liver cancer is rapidly increasing across the UK, with over 6,000 new diagnoses annually and a rise of more than 40% over the past decade. Despite its growing prevalence, the disease’s early symptoms remain vague and easily mistaken for less serious conditions.
Dr. Jiri Kubes, Medical Director at the Proton Therapy Center, explains: “Liver cancer can cause referred or phantom pain, where discomfort is experienced in the shoulder due to the liver’s proximity to nerves connected to that area.” This pain typically affects the right shoulder, occurring intermittently, and is often dismissed as muscular strain, especially by those who are active and otherwise healthy.
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The surge in liver cancer cases correlates heavily with lifestyle factors such as chronic alcohol consumption, obesity, fatty liver disease, hepatitis B and C infections, and smoking. Many patients develop liver damage silently over years before symptoms emerge.
“The difficulty with liver cancer,” Dr. Kubes notes, “is that its early symptoms are subtle, leading many to ignore them or attribute them to minor causes.”
Preventive measures are effective and important. Maintaining a healthy weight, reducing alcohol intake, and preventing hepatitis infections can significantly lower the risk.
Other early warning signs include feeling full after small meals, unexplained weight loss, abdominal swelling, and jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes). Recognizing these symptoms—especially unexpected ones like phantom shoulder pain—may save lives by prompting earlier diagnosis and treatment.