The only way to find out is to receive a medical evaluation. The sooner the symptoms are diagnosed, the sooner appropriate treatments can begin and the more affective treatment is likely to be. If liver cancer is suspected, the doctor will conduct a physical examination and a medical history. Further tests help a doctor determine if cancer is causing symptoms. However, other cancers can also cause elevated levels, so this test is not very helpful in narrowing diagnosis to liver cancer.
Liver tumors can produce different echoes from normal liver tissue.
Benign and malignant tumors also produce different echoes. It can produce more detailed images than an ultrasound or a CT scan, but this level of precision is not always necessary to evaluate liver cancer. Doctors can also take small tissue samples during this procedure. Biopsies can be performed surgically, removing all or part of the tumor. The tissue is analyzed under a microscope to determine if it is cancerous.