Four common signs of liver cancer patients

Most patients with early liver cancer have no obvious positive signs. Only a few patients can be found to have basic manifestations of liver disease such as mild liver enlargement, jaundice and skin itching during physical examination. As the disease progresses, patients with mid-to-late stage liver cancer may have liver enlargement, vascular murmurs, jaundice, portal hypertension and other symptoms, which are conducive to the diagnosis of the disease.

Enlarged liver: The liver of patients with liver cancer often shows progressive enlargement, and its texture is hard, the surface is uneven, there are nodules of varying sizes or even huge masses, with clear edges, and often varying degrees of tenderness. When liver cancer protrudes under the right costal arch or xiphoid process, local fullness and bulge may occur in the corresponding area; if it is located on the diaphragmatic surface of the liver, it will manifest as localized elevation of the diaphragm; and the cancer nodules located on the surface of the liver near the lower edge are the easiest to touch.

Vascular murmurs: The blood vessels of liver cancer are rich and tortuous. If the cancer mass compresses the hepatic artery and abdominal aorta, nearly half of liver cancer patients will hear a blowing vascular murmur in the corresponding parts. Although this sign has important diagnostic value, it is not very meaningful for the early diagnosis of liver cancer.

Jaundice: Patients with advanced liver cancer may experience yellowing of the skin and sclera, which is mostly caused by compression of the bile duct by the cancer or enlarged lymph nodes, resulting in bile duct obstruction. It can also be caused by liver cell damage.

Signs of portal hypertension: Since many liver cancer patients have cirrhosis, they often have signs such as portal hypertension and splenomegaly.