What should I do about whole-body pain in the late stages of liver cancer?

Written by Yan Chun
Oncology
Updated on June 25, 2025
00:00
00:00

Patients with late-stage liver cancer may experience widespread pain, and the following treatments can be adopted: For pain caused by bone metastasis, in addition to providing opioids for symptomatic pain relief, local radiotherapy can also be administered to alleviate pain. If necessary, deep hyperthermia treatment can be given to the local metastatic lesions to relieve the pain. For widespread pain, treatment primarily involves the use of medications. The choice of medications can include opioids, supplemented by first-step antipyretic analgesics and medications that promote sleep, as pain tends to decrease when the patient is at rest. Additionally, for late-stage liver cancer patients experiencing widespread pain, an implanted pain pump can be used to control pain by periodically administering pain medication.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Wang Chun Mei
Pulmonology
47sec home-news-image

Is increased lung markings related to liver cancer?

Increased pulmonary markings are clinically associated with many inducing factors, but they are not directly related to liver cancer. It's important to understand that liver cancer involves the presence of cancer cells in the liver, while increased pulmonary markings are radiographic signs observed during lung imaging examinations. Clinically, there are many factors that can lead to increased pulmonary markings, but liver cancer does not cause this condition. Typically, increased pulmonary markings may be due to excessive obesity, long-term smoking, or the presence of inflammatory lesions in the lungs, all of which can cause varying degrees of increased pulmonary markings.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Ye Xi Yong
Infectious Diseases
32sec home-news-image

Will having hepatitis B antibodies lead to liver cancer?

Firstly, there is no necessary connection between liver cancer and antibodies, but if a patient has hepatitis B antibodies, then the chance of this patient contracting hepatitis B is very small. Relatively speaking, since hepatitis B can develop into liver cancer, having positive hepatitis B antibodies might reduce the chance of developing liver cancer. However, there are many types of liver cancer, and its causes are varied, including hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and other factors.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Peng Li Bo
Oncology
43sec home-news-image

Is primary liver cancer hereditary?

Primary liver cancer is usually not hereditary, but the reason why it tends to appear in families in China is mainly due to the widespread infection of hepatitis B virus, which then leads to a significant correlation with hepatic cirrhosis caused by hepatitis B. It is well known that the hepatitis B virus is contagious and can easily be transmitted within families and from mother to child. Therefore, it is not uncommon to see several cases of liver cancer within the same family, indicating a familial aggregation. Another factor is related to dietary habits, for example, the infection of aflatoxin, which is mainly found in moldy peanuts. If the dietary habits within a family are similar, then, of course, the likelihood of occurrence is certainly higher.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Liu Liang
Oncology
1min 13sec home-news-image

Can late-stage liver cancer be treated?

In the late stage of liver cancer, treatment depends on the specific circumstances. If there is significant ascites or severe liver function damage, treatment may primarily involve optimal supportive care. If the patient's liver function is relatively good, such as in hepatocellular carcinoma, targeted therapy may be an option. If the patient's overall condition allows, other treatment methods such as chemotherapy and immunotherapy may be considered. Furthermore, if the pathology is cholangiocarcinoma with jaundice as the main symptom, a stent can be placed externally in the biliary tract to drain bile and alleviate jaundice symptoms. If there is no portal vein thrombosis, no significant ascites, and multiple liver metastases are present, chemotherapy embolization of hepatic veins and various local ablation treatments can also be considered. Thus, the specific approach should take into account multiple factors such as the patient's constitution, overall condition, and the severity of liver function impairment.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Si Li Li
Gastroenterology
58sec home-news-image

Can hepatitis B lead to liver cancer?

Hepatitis B can cause chronic infection in the body, which may damage liver cells and potentially lead to liver cirrhosis or liver cancer. Therefore, in cases of hepatitis B virus infection, it is necessary to regularly check liver function and hepatitis B virus DNA. If abnormal transaminase levels are found, timely liver-protective and enzyme-lowering treatments should be administered. If the hepatitis B virus DNA reaches a certain level, antiviral treatment should be initiated to potentially slow the progression of hepatitis B developing into liver cirrhosis or even liver cancer. Additionally, carriers of the hepatitis B virus or patients with hepatitis B should take care to rest adequately, avoid excessive fatigue and staying up late, abstain from alcohol, and maintain a light, digestible diet.