First you will have diagnostic tests, to find out the cause of your symptoms.

If cancer is found, you will have further tests, to find out what type of cancer you have, how large the cancer is, and whether it has spread. The results of these tests will guide your treatment.

To begin with, your GP will ask you questions about your symptoms, talk to you about your medical history, and may give you a physical examination. She or he may look for signs of jaundice, or feel your abdomen (the pelvis or belly) for swelling or tenderness.

Your GP may take a sample of your blood for testing. This may also be done at the hospital. The test can show how well your liver is working. It can also find out if you have unusually high levels of a protein that is produced by hepatomas.

Your GP may decide to send you to see a specialist at a hospital for further tests and investigation. If your GP suspects you may have cancer, the NHS cancer referral guidelines help your GP to decide who may need to see a specialist, and how quickly.

Ultrasound scan
Computerised tomography (CT or CAT) scan
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan
Needle biopsy
Endoscopic ultrasound scan (EUS)
Laparoscopy
Isotope scan (radioisotope or radionuclide scan)
Hepatic arteriography and hepatic angiography
Bone scan
A chest X-ray

Related links
NHS cancer referral guidelines