Cancer Council NSW logo
13 11 20 Information & Support
Give monthly
Menu
  • Cancer Information
    • By cancer type
      • Bowel cancer
      • Blood cancers
      • Breast cancer
      • Lung cancer
      • Melanoma
      • Prostate cancer
      • View 26 other cancers
    • General information
      • What is cancer?
      • When you are first diagnosed
      • Cancer treatment
      • Managing side effects
      • Living well
      • Practical concerns
      • Advanced cancer
    • How can we help you?
      • Carers
      • Family and friends
      • Multilingual cancer information
      • Schools and teachers
    • More resources
      • Understanding Cancer books
      • Podcast: The Thing About Cancer
      • Podcast: The Thing About Advanced Cancer
      • Cancer Information Services
      • Cancer information for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people
  • Get Support
    • How can we help you
      • 13 11 20 – Speak to a cancer professional
      • Connect with others
      • Cancer Counselling
      • Pro Bono Program
      • Financial Assistance
      • Transport to cancer treatment
      • Accommodation during cancer treatment
      • Support for cancer survivors
    • More information
      • Information for health professionals
      • Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people
      • Multilingual cancer information
      • LGBTI
      • Cancer and COVID-19 in NSW
      • Webinars
  • Cancer Prevention
    • By topic
      • Alcohol
      • Diet and exercise
      • Screening and early detection
      • Smoking
      • Sun protection
    • Programs
      • SunSmart NSW website
      • Improve your long game
      • Tackling Tobacco
  • Research
    • By Topic
      • Research we conduct
      • Research we fund
      • Information for researchers
      • Community Involvement in Research
    • Quick links
      • Search research by cancer type or topic
      • Research Grant Applications
      • Research Achievements
  • Get Involved
    • How will you get involved
      • Volunteer with us
      • Work with us
      • Fundraise for us
      • Partner with us
      • Campaign with us
      • Shop with us
    • Quick Links
      • Events calendar
      • Request a Cancer Council Talk
      • Share your story
      • Supporter Recognition
  • Donate
    • Donate today
    • Donate monthly
    • Donate in memory
    • Leave a gift in your will
    • More ways to donate
  • Cancer Information
    • By cancer type
      • Bowel cancer
      • Blood cancers
      • Breast cancer
      • Lung cancer
      • Melanoma
      • Prostate cancer
      • View 26 other cancers
    • General information
      • What is cancer?
      • When you are first diagnosed
      • Cancer treatment
      • Managing side effects
      • Living well
      • Practical concerns
      • Advanced cancer
    • How can we help you?
      • Carers
      • Family and friends
      • Multilingual cancer information
      • Schools and teachers
    • More resources
      • Understanding Cancer books
      • Podcast: The Thing About Cancer
      • Podcast: The Thing About Advanced Cancer
      • Cancer Information Services
      • Cancer information for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people
  • Get Support
    • How can we help you
      • 13 11 20 – Speak to a cancer professional
      • Connect with others
      • Cancer Counselling
      • Pro Bono Program
      • Financial Assistance
      • Transport to cancer treatment
      • Accommodation during cancer treatment
      • Support for cancer survivors
    • More information
      • Information for health professionals
      • Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people
      • Multilingual cancer information
      • LGBTI
      • Cancer and COVID-19 in NSW
      • Webinars
  • Cancer Prevention
    • By topic
      • Alcohol
      • Diet and exercise
      • Screening and early detection
      • Smoking
      • Sun protection
    • Programs
      • SunSmart NSW website
      • Improve your long game
      • Tackling Tobacco
  • Research
    • By Topic
      • Research we conduct
      • Research we fund
      • Information for researchers
      • Community Involvement in Research
    • Quick links
      • Search research by cancer type or topic
      • Research Grant Applications
      • Research Achievements
  • Get Involved
    • How will you get involved
      • Volunteer with us
      • Work with us
      • Fundraise for us
      • Partner with us
      • Campaign with us
      • Shop with us
    • Quick Links
      • Events calendar
      • Request a Cancer Council Talk
      • Share your story
      • Supporter Recognition
  • Donate
    • Donate today
    • Donate monthly
    • Donate in memory
    • Leave a gift in your will
    • More ways to donate
  • Home
  • Secondary liver cancer
  • Managing symptoms
  • Pain
Download or Print PDF

Pain

In some people, secondary liver cancer can cause pain, particularly in the upper right area of the abdomen (belly). Your doctor may prescribe pain medicine, but check before taking any over-the-counter medicines because some are not suitable for people with liver cancer.

Radiation therapy, chemotherapy or surgery may also provide relief by reducing the size of a liver tumour that is causing pain. Some people may have an injection of local anaesthetic to numb the nerve sending the pain signals (nerve block).


How to cope with pain

  • Keep track of your pain in a symptom diary. Try to describe what the pain feels like, how intense it is, exactly where it is, where it comes from and travels to, how long it lasts, and if it goes away with a specific pain medicine or with any other therapy, such as a heat pack.
  • Allow a few days for your body to adjust to the dose of pain medicine and for any drowsiness to improve.
  • Let your doctor know if you have vivid dreams, nausea or other side effects after taking a strong pain medicine such as morphine. The doctor can adjust the dose, which may help, or you can try other methods of pain relief.
  • If you are taking an opioid-based drug like morphine, it is important to use a laxative regularly to prevent or relieve constipation.
  • Take pain medicine as prescribed, even when you’re not in pain. Managing pain may become more difficult if pain medicine is not taken regularly – it’s better to stay on top of the pain.

For more on this, see our general section on Pain and cancer.

→ READ MORE: Fluid Build-up (ascites) caused by secondary liver cancer


Podcast: Managing Pain when Cancer Is Advanced

Listen to more of our podcast for people affected by cancer


Key resource

Download a PDF booklet on this topic.

Understanding Cancer Pain cover thumbnail
Understanding Cancer Pain

Download PDF375kB

More resources

  • PDF Caring for Someone with Cancer Download PDF480kB
  • PDF Understanding Complementary Therapies Download PDF948kB
This information was last reviewed in June 2022. View who reviewed this content.

Prof Desmond Yip, Clinical Director, Department of Medical Oncology, The Canberra Hospital, ACT; A/Prof Siddhartha Baxi, Radiation Oncologist and Medical Director, GenesisCare, Gold Coast, QLD; Prof Katherine Clark, Clinical Director of Palliative Care, NSLHD Supportive and Palliative Care Network, Northern Sydney Cancer Centre, Royal North Shore Hospital, NSW; Anne Dowling, Hepatoma Clinical Nurse Consultant and Liver Transplant Coordinator, Austin Health, VIC; A/Prof Koroush Haghighi, Liver, Pancreas and Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeon, Prince of Wales and St Vincent’s Hospitals, NSW; Karen Hall, 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council SA; Dr Brett Knowles, Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary and General Surgeon, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and St Vincent’s Hospital, VIC; Lina Sharma, Consumer; A/Prof Simone Strasser, Hepatologist, AW Morrow Gastroenterology and Liver Centre, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and The University of Sydney, NSW; David Thomas, Consumer.

View the Cancer Council NSW editorial policy.

View all publications or call 13 11 20 for free printed copies.

Need to talk?

Call 13 11 20 to talk to a health professional Or email us your questions.

Support services

Coping with cancer?
Speak to a health professional or to someone who has been there, or find a support group or forum

Looking for transport, accommodation or home help?
Practical advice and support during and after treatment

Cancer information

Managing cancer side effects
Learn more about the range of side effects cancer can cause, and how to manage these

Dealing with the diagnosis
Common reactions to a cancer diagnosis and how to find hope

  • Secondary liver cancer
  • About secondary liver cancer
  • Symptoms
  • Diagnosis
    • Tests
    • Staging and prognosis
    • Your health care team
  • Treatment
    • Making treatment decisions
    • Chemotherapy
    • Targeted & immunotherapy
    • Hormone therapy
    • Radiation therapy: SIRT and SBRT
    • Transarterial chemoembolisation (TACE)
    • Surgery
    • Palliative treatment
  • Managing symptoms
    • Jaundice
    • Poor appetite and weight loss
    • Pain
    • Fluid build-up (ascites)
    • Fatigue and confusion
  • Living with secondary liver cancer
  • About us
  • News & Media
  • Cancer Council Shop
  • Contact us
  • Work with us
  • Privacy and website policies
Aboriginal Daffodil logo

Cancer Council NSW acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land on which we live and work. We pay our respects to the elders past and present and extend that respect to all other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Registered Charity (ACNC)

© Cancer Council NSW 2021. Cancer Council NSW is registered with the Australian Taxation Office as an Income Tax Exempt Charity: Charitable Fundraising Authority No. 18521. ABN 51 116 463 846. Cancer Council NSW, 153 Dowling Street, Woolloomooloo NSW 2011. All donations over $2 are tax deductible.