The Sources of Pain. People with lung cancer may experience different types of pain including: Pain caused by the cancer itself. This may be because a tumor in your lungs is pressing on nerves in your spine, resulting in chest or back pain. Pain caused by cancer that has spread to other places in the body. If your cancer has spread to your bones, you probably will experience bone pain. Cancer that has spread to the liver may cause pain in your abdomen. And cancer that spreads to the brain can result in headaches. Pain due to your lung cancer treatment.