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Does Sharp Pain In The Back Suggest Cancer?

Posted on Thu, 2 Mar 2017

Question: Hi, I am a 28 year old male. For 3 weeks, I have a had a pain to the right of my spine in my mid back (probably in the t10 or t11 area). It is on and off (the pain lasts for about 2 or 3 seconds then goes away), and it is usually a 2 or 3 out of 10 on a scale. I am concerned because it is non-mechanical, no motion seems to trigger it or make it worse, it happens at all times a day, but sometimes I will go a few hours without feeling it. It hasnt really gotten worse over the past 3 weeks. I also for about a week have had a mild squeezing pain on and off under my right rib. Not sure if this is related. I have had bloodwork done (it checked liver enzymes, CBC), an abdominal ultrasound (which was clear) and a chest and thoracic spine xray, both which were clear. I am worried it is some form of cancer, would pancreas or liver cancer produce this kind of intermittent back pain, or would it be more constant? I would say I feel it maybe 4 or 5 times an hour.

Answered by Dr. Ramesh Kumar (6 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Most likely both pains are not related.Very unlikely to be carcinoma.

Detailed Answer:
Hi
Thanks for choosing HCM for query
As per your query cancer of liver and pancreas can cause such pain but only in very advanced stages due to metastasis,And the pain is very sharp and is usually not relieved even with medications.So your pain is very different from that.Pain is any carcinoma is constant,often defined as severe by patient.
Intermittent chest pain can be because of acid peptic disorder or it can be stable angina.However as you are just 28 chances of angina are very unlikely.
For back pain i would suggest you to go for a MRI spine,As it will show any nerve compression or muscular problem,Xray is just a basic test and misses any nerve compression or disc problem.
For pain under rib i would suggest you to go for a EKG,if its normal take capsule pantoprazole 40mg once daily for few days along with Tab ultracet for 3days.Pantoprazole is a proton pump inhibitor and will provide symptomatic relief if there is gastritis.Most likely your pain sounds either to be muscular or due to acid peptic disorder.
Please specify your anxiety levels and your sleep cycle as some times anxiety can also cause intermittent chest discomfort.
Follow up with reports and inform if relieved
Thanks.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Kampana

Follow up: Dr. Ramesh Kumar (7 hours later)

thank you. by under my rib I mean below my rib cage in the upper stomach region. I feel an occasional squeezing sensation, I find sometimes certain movements bring it on, and sometimes it turns into sharp pain. it's right where the gall bladder would be, but my ultrasound showed no stones. it is also intermittent. could this be of pancreatic or liver origin? it does not seem to worsen when I eat. again I had a normal abdominal ultrasound.

Answered by Dr. Ramesh Kumar (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Follow up advice

Detailed Answer:
Hi again,
I appreciate your concern,

Ultrasound abdomen is one of the basic investigation of gastroenterology. However, in case if you want to be sure that its not your Pancreas or liver, i would advice you to go for a CT scan of abdomen. CT-scan will provide a very clear picture of the scenario, because these symptoms are quite atypical of liver or pancreatic pain.

Intermittent pain is very unlikely to be of pancreatic origin. As the pain is not related to eating it can't be gastritis also(less likely).

Advice
CT scan of abdomen.
Follow medicines advised previously.
Follow up with reports.

Thank you!

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Arnab Banerjee