Two critical changes in your toilet habits could be a sign of a deadly form of cancer that is on the rise in Britain.
Bile duct cancer, medically known as cholangiocarcinoma, is a cancer that develops in the tubes that connect the liver, gallbladder, and intestines.
This aggressive type of cancer affects around 3,100 people in the UK each year, and only one in 20 patients is expected to be alive five years after diagnosis.
Liver Cancer UK says some of the warning signs of this type of cancer only appear when people go to the toilet.
These include unusual urine – very dark or very pale – and pale, clay-colored stools.
Both are possible signs of jaundice, a condition that indicates the liver is under great stress.
In cases of bile duct cancer, this may be a sign that the tumor has blocked the tubes connecting to the liver, causing bile to leak into the blood and other tissues.
Other signs of jaundice include yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes, as well as itching of the skin.
Other possible symptoms of cancer include unintentional weight loss, abdominal pain – most often on the right side of the abdomen – flu-like symptoms, such as fever and fatigue, and loss of appetite.
Although Liver Cancer UK stresses that these symptoms can be the result of other conditions, they urge people who experience them to contact their GP for advice.
This is because, when it comes to cancer, an early diagnosis can significantly improve treatment options and outcomes.
Scientists still don't know why this type of cancer occurs in some people and not others. However, Liver Cancer UK stresses that it is not always linked to alcohol consumption.
"It's a myth that liver cancers are always linked to alcohol. In fact, it's not clear whether alcohol is linked to bile duct cancer at all," says Dr.The organization broadcasts GazetaExpress.
As with many other forms of cancer, age is the biggest risk factor for this disease – the vast majority of cases occur in patients aged 50–70.
However, some health conditions, such as infection with parasites called liver flukes or some forms of inflammatory bowel disease, are known to increase the risk of biliary tract cancer.
People with such conditions are at increased risk of developing the disease at a younger age.
Cancer Research UK (CRUK) has observed an increase in cases of this type of cancer in recent years.
The reason for this increase is not clear, but some experts suggest that lifestyle factors such as smoking and alcohol may play a role.
Bile duct cancer is divided into two main types: intrahepatic and extrahepatic.
Intrahepatic cancers develop within the bile ducts located in the liver, while extrahepatic cancers develop in the ducts outside the liver.
The former are considered a type of liver cancer and account for the majority of cases diagnosed in the UK.
Data from CRUK shows that cases of liver cancer are increasing among young adults, which in oncology medicine is defined as people under 50 years of age at the time of diagnosis.
Rates of this disease have increased by 86% among people aged 25 to 49 since the 1990s.
However, the vast majority of cases still occur in the elderly, with people over 80 years old having the highest risk.
Liver cancer is believed to have caused over 81,000 deaths in the last 20 years, with deaths expected to increase by another 10% by 2040, according to CRUK.
Currently, the disease is the eighth most common cause of cancer death in Britain, but by 2040, the organisation warns it could rank sixth.
Around one in four cases of liver cancer in Britain are caused by obesity, one in five are linked to smoking, and one in 14 are linked to excessive alcohol consumption, according to studies.
Treatment for bile duct cancer usually involves surgery to remove as much of the disease as possible, followed by treatments such as chemotherapy. /Express newspaper/
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