Six little-known warning signs of liver cancer revealed after death of Everton chairman Bill Kenwright

Legendary West End theater producer and Everton FC chairman Bill Kenwright has died aged 78 after a battle with liver cancer.

The Liverpool man, also known as ‘Uncle Bill’, ‘died peacefully’ on Monday evening surrounded by loved ones, his family said.

The former Coronation Street star had surgery in August to remove the cancer, which kills around 6,000 Britons every year.

Although the operation was successful, complications caused him to spend “an extended period” in intensive care, Everton said at the time.

Here, MailOnline shares some warning signs of the disease, which is thought to be Britain’s fastest rising cancer killer. The death rate has tripled since the early 1970s.

Yellowing of the skin

Liver cancer can cause the skin and whites of the eyes to turn yellow, also called jaundice.

According to Cancer Research UK, it occurs when the tumor has caused a blockage in the bile ducts or stopped the liver from working properly.

The bile duct is a tube that normally drains fluid called bilirubin – a yellow pigment formed when red blood cells are broken down – from the liver to the small intestine.

But tumors can cause bilirubin to build up in the blood, which can turn the skin and whites of the eyes yellow.

It can also result in pale stools, dark urine, and itchy skin.

However, as well as cancer, jaundice can also be caused by alcohol-related liver disease, gallstones, hepatitis, pancreatitis and sickle cell disease, the NHS says.

It urges anyone with jaundice to seek urgent medical attention. The health department notes that the condition is common and usually harmless in newborn babies.

Swollen abdomen

A swollen abdomen can be a sign of liver cancer.

As the tumor grows, it can result in swelling on the right side of the abdomen, according to Cancer Research UK.

In addition, a swollen abdomen can be caused by a tumor increasing pressure in the liver, which can cause blood to pool in the veins. This pressure can lead to ascites – a condition in which fluid builds up in the abdomen.

Liver cancer can also cause ascites if the organ fails to produce enough albumin – a blood protein that keeps fluid from leaking from the bloodstream.

A swollen abdomen can be accompanied by swollen veins visible beneath the surface of the abdomen, due to increased pressure in the liver, the charity says.

A lump on your right side

A lump on the right side of the abdomen may be a warning sign of liver cancer.

Located just below the ribcage, a hard lump, which can be painful, could be a tumor, the NHS says. It may only become noticeable at a later stage, after the tumor has grown.

Strangely enough, according to Macmillan, this lump can also cause pain in the right shoulder.

This so-called referred pain can occur when the liver stimulates the nerves under the diaphragm – the muscle tissue under the lungs – that connect to the nerves in the right shoulder.

Itchy skin

In addition to making the skin yellow, liver cancer can also make the skin itch.

This itching is caused by bile salts.

The liver produces bile to help digest food. But when the bile ducts become blocked, which can be caused by a tumor, bile salts are deposited in the skin.

This can result in severe itching, says Macmillan.

The charity recommends douches to wash off bile salts and the use of a moisturizer to soothe the itching.

Loss of appetite

Many symptoms of liver cancer can affect digestion and therefore appetite.

Nausea, digestive problems and a painful and swollen abdomen are all symptoms of liver cancer that affect your digestion, the NHS says.

As a result, people with liver cancer may lose their appetite and feel full after eating small amounts, says Cancer Research.

Weight loss

Losing a lot of weight without wanting to can be a sign of liver cancer.

This can happen when symptoms – such as loss of appetite or a swollen abdomen – mean a person is eating less than normal.

However, for many cancer patients, there is an external trigger for weight loss.

Instead, weight loss may occur due to cachexia, according to Cancer Research UK.

Also called wasting syndrome, this is a condition in which the body does not absorb all the fat, protein and carbohydrates from food and burns calories faster than normal. It can occur in cancer patients and people with chronic diseases.

The charity is urging people to visit their doctor if there is no obvious cause for their weight loss so that a doctor can investigate.