As it emerges Michael Buble’s son Noah is battling liver cancer – we reveal the 9 ‘red flag’ symptoms

MICHAEL Buble's three-year-old son Noah is battling liver cancer, it has been revealed.

Doctors diagnosed the adorable toddler after carrying out a liver biopsy.

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And, it's been reported the singer's eldest child has already started chemotherapy, which is expected to last four months.

Liver cancer is very rare in children, typically being diagnosed in people over the age of 70.

There are around 5,413 news cases of the disease confirmed in patients in the UK each year - around two per cent of all cancer cases.

According to Cancer Research UK around 35 per cent of adults diagnosed with the disease will survive for a year or more.

Meanwhile more than 10 per cent will survive for five years or more.

The charity notes these figures relate to primary liver cancer in adults, adding: "Primary liver cancer in children is very rare, and their outlook is better than it is for adults."

But, what are the signs of liver cancer, to watch out for?

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COMMON SIGNS

1. Weight loss

As with many forms of the disease, an early sign of liver cancer is weight loss.

This is weight loss without any intentional dieting or extra physical activity.

Typically doctors will become concerned when a person loses more than 10 per cent of their total body weight, or a stone for every 10 you weigh.

If there is no obvious explanation for your weight loss, or your child's weight loss it is important to seek medical advice.

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2. A swollen tummy

Liver cancer can cause a swollen tummy for two reasons.

The first is that the liver itself can get bigger from the growing disease.

This can cause swelling, specifically on the right hand side of the stomach.

Secondly, the disease can cause generalised swelling of the tummy, due to a build-up of fluid, known as ascites.

The fluid builds up because the liver becomes congested.

In turn, it squeezes the blood vessels inside the liver, causing a build-up of blood in the veins.

The pressure forces fluid to leak from the veins into the tummy.

3. Jaundice

A yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes is a sign of jaundice - a known sign of liver cancer.

The condition can also cause a person's skin to itch.

It means the liver is unable to work properly, or that there could be a blockage in the bile duct.

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OTHER SYMPTOMS

4. Loss of appetite over a period of at least a few weeks

5. Being sick

6. Feeling full or bloated after eating, even if you haven't eaten much

7. Itching

8. A sudden worsening of health in somebody with chronic hepatitis or cirrhosis

9. A high temperature and sweating

Cancer Research UK urges people who are showing signs of jaundice - yellowing eyes and skin - as well as coughing up blood and a swollen tummy to see their doctor.

Though these symptoms can all be a sign of other illnesses, it is best to seek medical advice.

To find out more visit.