Liver cancer: The color of your stool that may indicate the disease

When it comes to diseases like liver cancer, early detection is very important for a high chance of recovery and remission. A way to detect for an indicator of the condition is through what is being flushed down the toilet, specifically, the stools.

Much like other cancers, symptoms become more evident as cancer progresses, so it is important to spot them and see a doctor right away. Express reports that a sign of liver cancer may be found in the stool or the color of the stool. Experts say that if the stool looks white and chalky, then it may be a sign of the cancer. This may be because the liver is not producing enough bile - the substance that turns stools into varying shades of brown - so it can indicate a problem with the liver and or bile ducts. In the same vein, pale stools that follow or are followed by a change in the color of the urine may also indicate issues with the liver.

However, much like any other condition, symptoms overlap with one another, so this kind of change in the stool or urine may indicate some other condition, such as an infection. It is highly advised to see a doctor right away in case this happens.

But when the stool changes color, it does not necessarily mean a condition right away. The stool’s color will vary depending on the food one eats, or the kind of medication one takes. Certain types of food have been known to change the color of the stool once digested in the body, so it may not be a cause of concern just yet.

One example of which is beets. Beets are known for their purplish-red hue and are also known to stain hands and fingers if a person is cutting into them. Eating beets will result in having a dark red-hued stool, which may look like blood. If not in the stool, the pigment found in beets may show up a little bit in the urine as well, which can seem alarming.

Green veggies have also been known to change the stool color due to the chlorophyll present in them that give the veggies their green color. Blueberries are also culprits of resulting in unusual stool colors.