Liver, biliary and pancreatic cancers

Liver, biliary and pancreatic cancers are types of cancer that affect your liver, bile ducts or pancreas.

Symptoms can vary depending on exactly where the cancer is within the liver, bile duct or pancreas. It’s important to contact your GP practice if you have any of the following symptoms:

• Jaundice – your skin and whites of your eyes look yellow.
• Stomach or back pain – often worse when lying down or after eating.
• Recently lost weight without trying, especially if newly diagnosed with diabetes.
• Regular nausea and vomiting.
• Change in bowel habit – may be new constipation or larger, more regular pale-coloured poo.

Bowel Changes

If your pancreatic duct blocks, you might develop a symptom called steatorrhoea. This means fatty stools. You may pass frequent, large bowel motions that are pale coloured and smelly, and are difficult to flush away. These bowel changes can mean that you are not absorbing your food properly. This can also cause weight loss.

Diarrhoea and constipation are also other possible bowel changes you can have.

Some people put off contacting their GP practice because they think they’ll be wasting their time. But if you’ve noticed any possible symptoms or unusual changes in your health and you’re at all worried, they’ll want to know.

Here’s what you can expect at your appointment:

• You’ll be asked about your symptoms – including what they are, when you get them and whether anything you do makes them better or worse.
• You’ll be asked about your general health and any other medical conditions you may have.
• Your skin and eyes will be checked for signs of jaundice.
• You may need a physical examination to check if your abdomen is tender, or if they can feel a lump or if your liver feels enlarged.
• They might ask you to have blood tests and give a urine sample.
• After your examination, you may need to be referred to hospital for tests or to see a specialist.