Can melanoma cause shoulder pain?
Ava Arnold
Updated on January 15, 2026
Here, we present a case of malignant melanoma that metastasized to the supraspinatus muscle who presented with shoulder pain. A 78-year-old female patient presented with unrelenting shoulder pain mimicking rotator cuff pathology.
supraspinatus muscle
The supraspinatus (plural supraspinati) is a relatively small muscle of the upper back that runs from the supraspinous fossa superior portion of the scapula (shoulder blade) to the greater tubercle of the humerus. It is one of the four rotator cuff muscles and also abducts the arm at the shoulder.
https://en.wikipedia.org
› wiki › Supraspinatus_muscleWhat cancer causes shoulder pain?
Shoulder pain is the most common symptom of a type of cancer called Pancoast tumor. These tumors are rare.Does melanoma cause muscle pain?
“Melanoma is a horrible and vicious disease if it spreads.” Daly's story is terrifying, but having melanoma show up as muscle pain is extremely rare since the vast majority of cases appear as visible lesions on the skin, said Dr.What kind of pain does melanoma cause?
The skin lesion may feel different and may itch, ooze, or bleed, but a melanoma skin lesion usually does not cause pain.What are the symptoms of melanoma that has spread?
If your melanoma has spread to other areas, you may have:
- Hardened lumps under your skin.
- Swollen or painful lymph nodes.
- Trouble breathing, or a cough that doesn't go away.
- Swelling of your liver (under your lower right ribs) or loss of appetite.
- Bone pain or, less often, broken bones.
Melanoma, Causes, Signs and Symptoms, DIagnosis and Treatment.
Do you feel ill with melanoma?
General symptomshard or swollen lymph nodes. hard lump on your skin. unexplained pain. feeling very tired or unwell.
Does melanoma show up in blood work?
Blood tests. Blood tests aren't used to diagnose melanoma, but some tests may be done before or during treatment, especially for more advanced melanomas. Doctors often test blood for levels of a substance called lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) before treatment.What are the 4 signs of melanoma?
Use the “ABCDE rule” to look for some of the common signs of melanoma, one of the deadliest forms of skin cancer:
- Asymmetry. One part of a mole or birthmark doesn't match the other.
- Border. The edges are irregular, ragged, notched, or blurred.
- Color. ...
- Diameter. ...
- Evolving.