What are the most common symptoms of cancer in the shoulder?

While there is no such thing as shoulder cancer per se, constant aches and pains in the shoulder can be a symptom of a more serious problem such as lung cancer, says British charity Cancer Research UK. Bone cancer may also cause pain and swelling in the shoulder area.

Severe shoulder pain can be caused by Horner Syndrome, a group of symptoms caused by tumors present in the upper part of the lung which degrades a nerve that runs from the chest into the neck, according to the American Cancer Society. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons reports other cases of dull, achy shoulder pain experienced by patients with various types of primary bone cancer.