Stomach cancer or gastric cancer is the growth of cancer cells in the lining and the wall of the stomach. It’s the fifth most common cancer worldwide and the third leading cause of death related to cancer.
The exact cause of stomach cancer is still unclear, although it is commonly seen in
- Male
- Age of 55 years or more
- Smokers
- Have a diet that contains lots of salted, pickled foods
- Alcohol abuse
- Family history
- Have stomach infections caused by H- pylori bacteria
Early symptoms of stomach cancer rarely cause symptoms. That’s the only reason stomach cancer is so hard to detect at an early stage. When symptoms occur, they may be vague. The majority of individuals diagnosed with abdomen cancer either have already metastasis or eventually develop it.
The early symptoms of stomach cancer
1. Poor appetite
2. Excessive fatigue- it is one of the most common causes of cancer. Here the fatigue isn’t tiredness, it’s exhaustion that doesn’t go away. If changing your activity level or getting more sleep doesn’t make you perk up- see the doctor.
3. Feeling full even when uptake little amounts of food. Many patients experience a sense of fullness even after having small meals which leads to a decrease in appetite and eventually sudden change in their eating habits and metabolism.
4. Trapped wind and frequent burping- frequent burping occur in patients with stomach cancer due to acid reflux. It’s important to know because chronic acid exposure in your esophagus can cause pre-cancerous changes.
5. Severe persistent heartburn and indigestion- this symptom is easily ignored by the patient as it may occur in various other conditions. If this condition persists for more than a weak or two kindly see your doctor.
6. Unexplained persistent nausea and vomiting. Swelling or fluid build-up in the abdomen may be caused in stomach cancer. This can lead to a feeling of nausea and vomiting without knowing the actual cause.
7. Unintentional weight loss– a lot of people with stomach cancer lose weight even when they eat a proper meal. Not only cancer and it’s treatment makes you queasy and lose your appetite, but it can also block your body’s ability to get the calories and nutrients it needs from foods.
8. Stomach pain especially after meals. If stomach pain after eating continues for a longer time and even lifestyle and diet changes don’t work, people are advised to see a doctor.
9. Blood in stool and vomiting. This is much less common, but it can happen if you are losing a lot of blood. This is usually seen in an advanced stage of the disease.
10. Anemia- certain cells in the stomach lining normally make a substance called an intrinsic factor that we need to absorb vitamin B12 from food. Deficiency of these intrinsic factor leads to a decrease in the absorption of vitamin B12. This condition is called pernicious anemia. In a patient with stomach cancer, there isn’t enough intrinsic factor since there is abnormal cells grow in the lining of the stomach. This is the main cause of anemia in patient with stomach cancer.
11. Constant bloating.
Many of these symptoms may be caused by conditions other than cancer such as stomach virus or an ulcer. They may additionally occur in an alternative kind of cancer. But people who have any of these problems, especially if they don’t go away or get worse, should see their doctor immediately so the underlying cause can be found and treated. So do not overlook these early symptoms, though early stomach cancer symptoms can be typically so unremarkable that they could go completely unnoticed. More diagnostic tests are required to be done ever if you show the above-mentioned signs for the confirmation of the condition.
