Gastric cancer symptoms often occur late. In addition, as with many other cancers, there are initially no specific stomach cancer symptoms that immediately suggest the right cause. Instead, unspecific upper abdominal complaints often show up. They range from pressure in the upper abdomen to bleeding and severe pain. The more advanced the tumor, the more pronounced are the symptoms of gastric carcinoma. Read more about stomach cancer symptoms here.
Common stomach cancer symptoms
As with many other cancers, there are no specific stomach cancer symptoms that immediately arouse suspicion of gastric carcinoma. On the contrary, gastric cancer symptoms often initially resemble the symptoms of gastritis or gastric ulcer.
Sudden aversion to certain foods
In addition, gastric carcinoma usually causes symptoms only after some time – initially, stomach cancer grows for a long time almost silently to itself. Only with hindsight, many sufferers remember that they had suddenly developed an aversion to certain foods (often meat, coffee, fruit and / or wine) before the diagnosis.
Feeling of fullness and loss of appetite
In the further course complainants often complain of a prolonged feeling of fullness in the upper abdomen or a sudden loss of appetite. If these very nonspecific complaints did not disappear by themselves after eight weeks at the latest, these could be stomach cancer symptoms. Patients should therefore go to a doctor immediately.
Vomiting blood and tarry stool
The breaking of blood and a black, silvery shimmering chair (tarry stool) are other possible stomach cancer symptoms. They are based on a stomach bleeding caused by the tumor:
The vomited blood resembles a black, crumbly porridge and is therefore often described as “coffee grounds”. The color and consistency change comes about through reaction of the blood with the gastric acid.
On its way through the intestine, the bright red blood clots, which also brings about a change in color. However, the brighter and fresher blood in the stool, the lower the digestive tract is usually the source of bleeding.
anemia
Anemia is also one of the possible stomach cancer symptoms. It is caused by chronic blood loss through the stomach bleeding. The symptoms of anemia can vary. However, anemia often causes symptoms such as paleness, fatigue, and performance degradation. The reason for this is a reduced number of red blood cells, which normally transport the oxygen through the body to the organs.
Gastric cancer symptoms in advanced stages
In advanced tumor stage further gastric cancer symptoms show: Often there is an unwanted loss of weight, which is caused by the tumor. If the gastric carcinoma at the stomach outlet, also the passage of food into the intestine may be obstructed. This results in a feeling of fullness, which is often accompanied by nausea and vomiting. The vomiting is often bubbly.
Gastric cancer symptoms in advanced stages are also an increasing dull pain in the upper abdomen. Depending on tumor growth, burning pain behind the sternum and heartburn can also occur. In addition, sufferers often report pain when swallowing. During the course of the disease, these stomach cancer symptoms often increase.
In advanced cancer, the tumor can sometimes be palpated in the upper abdomen.
As further gastric cancer symptoms, dysphagia and a general feeling of weakness with loss of performance may occur during the course of the illness.
Metastatic gastric cancer: symptoms
In the advanced stage, stomach cancer can form secondary tumors in other organs. Depending on which organ it is, there are more symptoms:
Gastric cancer patients, in whom the tumor has attacked the peritoneum (clothes the abdominal cavity), often develop an ascites: The peritoneum produces a fluid that allows the painless rubbing and gliding of the abdominal organs. In the case of a tumor, there is often an increased production of this fluid, which then can not drain off sufficiently. The result is an enormous accumulation of fluid in the abdomen (ascites).
If the liver is affected by metastases, it also leads to more specific stomach cancer symptoms. Enlargement of the liver may be noticeable in the presence of metastases. In addition, the function of the liver may be limited so that the degradation product of the red blood cells (bilirubin) can no longer be eliminated via the bile ducts and deposited in the skin. The skin and mucous membranes then turn yellow. This phenomenon is called jaundice.
Gastric carcinoma can spread to the ovaries in women. The tumor cells “drop” from the stomach down into the abdominal cavity and usually affect both ovaries. The resulting tumor is called “Krukenberg tumor”. The symptoms are also relatively unspecific here. It can lead to vaginal bleeding, pain during intercourse and so-called B-symptoms (see below).
B symptoms in gastric cancer
In severe, whole-body diseases such as stomach cancer so-called B-symptoms (concomitant symptoms, concomitant symptoms) may occur. These include fever (> 38 degrees Celcius), night sweats and weight loss (> 10 percent of the original body weight in the last six months) for which no explanation can be found.
Possible stomach cancer signs? Be absolutely serious
Almost every person suffers from indigestion at least once in their lives. Aversion to certain foods can also develop. Such aversion as well as indigestion as outlined above can be stomach cancer symptoms but have other causes as well. In any case, it is important to have such complaints clarified by a doctor.
However, possible stomach cancer symptoms are often not taken seriously. Older patients, in particular, often attribute their symptoms to their age or mistakenly find another explanation for the suspicious signs. However, stomach cancer is a serious disease that becomes more difficult the later it is detected. Become Stomach cancer symptoms but correctly diagnosed early, there are good chances of recovery.