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Stomach Ache? Know About The Symptoms Of Stomach Cancer
Stomach cancer occurs when cancer cells start growing inside the lining of the stomach. It is also known as gastric cancer. It can be challenging to identify it in time, as most people do not notice symptoms in the early stages. In most of the cases, the symptoms of stomach cancer are seen in severe or last stage. Stomach cancer usually takes years to grow.
In the initial stages, symptoms of stomach cancer are almost negligible. Gradually you start seeing some of its symptoms. In such a situation, it is important to recognize the symptoms of stomach in time and get it treated. Let us know what can be the symptoms of stomach cancer in the initial stage.
Patients suffering from stomach cancer may feel vomiting and nausea in the initial stages. If you are continuously facing this kind of problem, then contact your doctor immediately.
Bloating in stomachComplaints of bloating in the stomach for a long time can also indicate stomach cancer.
Chest burning painDue to stomach cancer, one may have to face the problem of chest pain and a burning sensation.
Also Read: From healthy heart to digestion, know about 5 benefits of Anjeer
Feeling full even after eating lessDespite eating less, feeling very full in the stomach also indicates stomach cancer.
Stomach infectionIf there is a problem of infection or cancer in the stomach, then the person starts feeling like a fever.
Stomach achePatients suffering from stomach cancer may also have to face the problems of stomach pain.
Bleeding from stoolBlood in stool can also be a cause of stomach cancer. In this situation contact the doctor immediately.
Having diarrhea or constipationLong-term problems of diarrhea and constipation can be the cause of stomach cancer. The red blood cells of a patient suffering from stomach cancer start decreasing significantly.
If such symptoms are visible in your body, contact the doctor immediately. So that your treatment can be started on time.
Latest Health News
These Are The Cancer Symptoms The NHS Says You Shouldn't Ignore
Breathlessness, lumps, a cough; if you have a lingering illness or a symptom you can't get rid of, contact your GP practice. It might be nothing, and it could put your mind at rest.
Some cancer symptoms are easier to spot than others, so if there's anything bothering you, it's better to get it checked out sooner rather than later.
Early diagnosis is key; if it's nothing to worry about, your GP can reassure you, but if it could be something more serious, they can refer you for further tests. Finding cancer and getting treatment early could save your life.
Contact your GP practice if something doesn't feel right, or you experience any of the following symptoms:NHS England's national clinical director for cancer, Professor Peter Johnson, said: "Cancer symptoms can come in different shapes and sizes and some can be less obvious than others, so it's important to know what is normal for you and take notice of any changes.
"We know that many people don't want to bother anyone with their health concerns – particularly if they are unsure about them – but we would always prefer you to contact your GP practice so that you can be checked.
'It's vitally important to contact your GP practice if something doesn't feel right'
"If something in your body doesn't feel right, it's vitally important to come forward. Diagnosing cancer earlier saves lives, so we would prefer to see you sooner when cancer can be treated more easily and successfully.
"Blood cancers altogether make up the fifth most common type, with over 41,000 diagnosed every year in the UK. The symptoms can seem quite general - such as breathlessness, night sweats or feeling very tired for no obvious reason – but if something isn't right, please contact your GP practice.
"It might be nothing serious, but it could save your life."
Visit nhs.Uk/cancersymptoms for more details.
'I didn't know what the symptoms of leukaemia were' Gill, now 64, is in a much better place health-wiseGill Winsor was 61 when she started to notice something wasn't quite right – and the Essex delivery driver was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML).
When Gill Winsor noticed she was getting short of breath, she put it down to not being as active during lockdown. "My daughter and I went for runs and I noticed my fitness seemed to be waning a bit, but I put that down to getting older and not going to the gym as much," she says.
Gill likes to keep fit, but she was starting to notice little niggles, which seemed to be unrelated.
"The next thing was a long lump in my groin, which suddenly appeared and got bigger and bigger," she says. Her GP thought it sounded like an infection, but when antibiotics didn't make much difference, they suspected a hernia.
But after a scan showed her lymph node was enlarged, she had a blood test and the next day got a phone call to say she was severely anaemic and was sent to A&E.
"I'd also had ulcers in my nostrils that just didn't clear up and I have a raised vein under my eyebrow – when I caught it with a hairbrush I suddenly had a black eye. By then, I was also lightheaded when I stood up and getting more breathless going up the stairs," she says.
'I was lightheaded and getting breathless going up the stairs'
"I didn't know what the symptoms of leukaemia were, so I didn't know all these things were related. While I was in A&E, I had a bone marrow biopsy and they called me in to say that it was a type of blood cancer called acute myeloid leukaemia (AML)."
Gill started her treatment at St Bartholomew's Hospital, London, within weeks, including injections and chemo tablets – and later on she had a stem cell transplant from a donor in America.
"Some people find they're really tired after a stem cell transplant, but two days later I was back on the exercise bike in the physio room," she says. "I used to disappear there every day once my breakfast had gone down. Obviously I couldn't do too much, but I wasn't going to let it get me down.
"All the way through, I refused to dwell on my illness. It often seemed like a bit of a dream because I didn't feel that ill. But if I'd have left it, I probably wouldn't be here now.
"Once I started the treatment, I began to feel better. Now when I look back at photos, my face looked tired, grey and I had pinky-brown bruises all up my arms. When you piece it all together afterwards, it all makes sense.
"One of the symptoms of AML is continual infections as well as night sweats. Looking back, the signs were there: feeling tired, joints aching and just before I was diagnosed I had a sharp pain in my lung, which I now know was an infection."
But now Gill is grateful to feel as fit and healthy as ever. "Last year, I ran the London Marathon. I feel full of energy, but if I hadn't seen the doctor it could have been so different," she says.
'I'd never been ill in my life, apart from a cold' Musician Paul Harris, from Buckingham, shares his storyAfter feeling some discomfort in his stomach, Paul Harris made an appointment to see his GP. "I've really never been ill in my life, apart from the occasional cold," he says.
"I had a bit of stomach discomfort which normally I would have ignored. But I went down to my local GP and because I've almost never been ill, he took it seriously. I will be forever grateful to that doctor."
Paul's GP sent him for tests and he saw a consultant at Stoke Mandeville Hospital. He recounts: "I went there, feeling quite uncertain about the whole thing, and the consultant said: 'You've got stage three non-Hodgkin lymphoma.' "And though, you don't always get a tumour, I had quite a large one in my stomach."
More tests followed, including a bone marrow biopsy, and Paul was offered a trial of a new treatment. "I accepted with total delight - and for the next seven months, I was having chemotherapy and the new treatment, which is called R-CHOP - the initials stand for all the different chemicals."
Five years later, Paul is about to do a concert at Saint Marylebone's Church in aid of Lymphoma Action. He's also written a book, Cancer and Positivity, to raise funds for the charity.
Paul remains grateful to his GP: "It was very advanced cancer and if we hadn't picked it up by then, I'd be dead now. I'd say: if you're ill, it won't go away - you have to take whatever precautions or steps necessary to ensure you get the right treatment."
'Don't leave it – go and see a doctor' Michael has been clear of bladder cancer for over seven years nowTen years ago, Michael Sloane was diagnosed with bladder cancer. He only had one symptom - he's urging anyone who's worried to go and get checked out
For Michael Sloane, the first sign of cancer came when he used an outside gym on holiday. "Afterwards, we went for a coffee and when I went to the toilet, my wee was a bit reddish, like rosé," says the 68-year-old accountant from High Wycombe.
"I thought it was unusual, but it didn't happen again until ten days later when I'd bent down to wash the car; that time, it was very red so I went to get it checked out."
'It was a shock - it was only the one symptom'
Michael's GP sent him for various blood and urine tests, and even checked for prostate cancer – but it was a flexible cystoscopy that revealed a tumour in his bladder.
"It was a shock," he says. "The different colour wee was the only symptom, but I thought I'd strained myself. So even if it's just one occurrence, get it checked. I had to have an operation to remove the tumour. Fortunately, it was just on the surface of the bladder lining and the biopsy results showed it was 'grade two', which is intermediate.
"I had a follow-up six months later and it had come back, but then I was clear for seven and a half years. Bladder cancer is one of the types that tends to come back, but I had another operation to remove it."
And he urges anyone with symptoms to go and get them checked out. "Go see a doctor. You need to be sure. Often it is not cancer, but it could be. Also, if you're a smoker – stop smoking."
For more information, visit nhs.Uk/cancersymptomsOesophageal Cancer Symptoms To Look Out For After Slade's Noddy Holder's Tragic Diagnosis
Slade star Noddy Holder was given just six months to live after he was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer five years ago - here are the warning signs for the disease you need to look out for
Noddy Holder was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer five years ago (Image: Getty Images)
Slade legend Noddy Holder has been secretly battling oesophageal cancer and was given just six months to live when he was diagnosed with the disease five years ago, his wife Suzan has announced. The 77-year-old superstar has received a new trial round of chemotherapy which has helped him fight the disease, and has been reacting positively so far.
Oesophageal cancer is the name used to refer to cancer that's found anywhere in the oesophagus, which is also known as the gullet or the food pipe. The oesophagus connects your mouth to your stomach and as such, many of the symptoms associated with the disease can be difficult to spot, as they may be brushed off as less serious conditions.
Oesophageal cancer affects the gullet, or food pipe (stock photo) (Image:
Getty Images)According to the NHS website, there are "many possible symptoms" of oesophageal cancer, and these can include things such as feeling or being sick, having problems swallowing, heartburn or acid reflux, and even symptoms associated with indigestion such as burping a lot.
But there are other symptoms you should look out for too, such as a cough that doesn't get better, a hoarse voice, loss of appetite, feeling tired, and pain in your throat or the middle of your chest that's especially prevalent when swallowing. You may also experience black poo or coughing up blood, but these symptoms are "uncommon".
The NHS also states that these symptoms can be related to other conditions such as gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, but you should always contact your GP if you experience these symptoms, or if your symptoms get any worse.
The NHS says you should see your GP if you have problems swallowing or have heartburn most days over a period of three weeks or more. However, you should contact 111 or get an urgent GP appointment if you find your poo is black or dark red, or if you're being sick for more than two days.
Causes of oesophageal cancer are not always clear, but you could be more at risk of the disease if you're over the age of 75, are a man, or have certain conditions that impact the oesophagus, such as long-term and severe acid reflux. The NHS website also states: "Many oesophageal cancers are also linked to lifestyle. For example, you're more likely to get it if you're overweight, smoke or drink too much alcohol."
If you have oesophageal cancer and want to speak to someone for support, you can contact the Oesophageal Patients Association (OPA) via their website or on 0121 704 9860. Anyone affected by cancer can also seek support from Macmillan Cancer Support online or at 0808 808 0000.
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