Two changes when you go to the toilet could be a warning sign that you have a cancer that is on the rise in the UK. Bile duct cancer, medically known as cholangiocarcinoma, is a cancer found in the tubes connecting the liver, gallbladder and the intestine. 

The killer condition strikes about 3,100 people in the UK a year, and only one in 20 patients are expected to live five years after their diagnosis. Liver Cancer UK said some of the key signs of bile duct cancer are only detectable when people go to the loo. Two changes to look out for include unusually dark or pale urine and pale “putty-like” stools. 

Both symptoms are possible signs of jaundice, a condition where the liver is under serious stress. When it comes to bile duct cancer, it can be an indicator that the disease has blocked the tubes connected to the liver, causing the bile to spill into blood and other tissue. The other main sign of jaundice is the yellowing of the skin, the eyes and itchy skin.

Other signs of the cancer include unintentional weight loss, abdominal discomfort – normally on the right-hand side of the stomach – flu-like symptoms like fever and fatigue, as well as a loss of appetite. Although Liver Cancer UK said these can be signs of other conditions, they said people experiencing them should contact their GP for advice. 

This is because if it is cancer-related, catching it early can vastly improve treatment options and outcomes for patients. Researchers are unsure what causes bile duct cancer but Liver Cancer UK said it’s not always related to drinking alcohol.

“It’s a myth that liver cancers are always related to alcohol. In fact, it’s unclear whether alcohol is linked to bile duct cancer,” the charity states. As is the case for many forms of cancer, age plays a big role in the disease, with most cases found among patients between the ages of 50 and 70.