Patient's question:
My father has been recovering from gastric cardia cancer surgery for over five and a half months. He underwent chemotherapy after the surgery, and his recent check-ups have all been normal. However, he has been experiencing severe pain in his left shoulder recently. What could be the cause? Is it a recurrence of gastric cardia cancer, or has it spread to the bones? What specific tests should be conducted for a proper diagnosis?Doctor's answer:
The patient has been recovering from gastric cardia cancer surgery for over five and a half months and is experiencing unclear pain in the left shoulder. First, it is necessary to rule out the possibility of bone metastasis that the patient is concerned about. The patient can undergo a distant travel scan, a thorough ECT examination, or an X-ray of the left shoulder to understand if there is a metastatic tumor. Additionally, it is also necessary to check whether there is left shoulder arthritis or muscle strain. The patient can temporarily use some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for treatment.