During a physical exam, your health care provider will ask about your symptoms and any risk factors that you may have for liver cancer. They will also check the following:
- Your belly or abdomen - to feel for any lumps or changes in the size or shape of your liver, spleen, and other nearby organs. Small tumors are hard to find by physical exams. Checking for any abnormal collection of fluid in the abdomen, which is called “ascites” and is associated with serious liver disease, is also done.
- Your skin and eyes - to look for signs of jaundice (yellowish color), which is another physical symptom that indicates there is a problem with the liver.