What are the symptoms of stomach cancer?
Early stomach cancers often have no symptoms. As the tumor gets larger, it can interfere with digestion or swallowing. Because it is taking up space in the stomach, a sense of fullness may occur shortly after a person starts eating. Nonspecific symptoms such as weight loss, fatigue, and weakness can also occur.
Common symptoms of stomach cancer
Common symptoms of stomach cancer include:
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A general sense of abdominal fullness
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Bloody stool (the blood may be red, black, or tarry in texture)
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Difficulty swallowing
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Fatigue
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Feeling full without eating much
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Frequent belching or burping
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Indigestion
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Loss of appetite
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Nausea with or without vomiting
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Upper abdominal pain
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Unexplained weight loss
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Weakness
Serious symptoms that might indicate a life-threatening condition
In some cases, complications of stomach cancer can be life threatening. Seek immediate medical care (call 911) if you, or someone you are with, have any of these life-threatening symptoms:
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Bloody stool, especially if the blood is bright red
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Bluish coloration of the lips or fingernails
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Change in level of consciousness or alertness, such as passing out or unresponsiveness
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Change in mental status or sudden behavior change, such as confusion, delirium, lethargy, hallucinations and delusions
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Rapid heart rate (tachycardia)
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Respiratory or breathing problems, such as shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, labored breathing, wheezing, not breathing, choking
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Severe abdominal pain
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Severe nausea and vomiting
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Vomiting blood
INTRODUCTION
What is stomach cancer?
Cancers that occur in the stomach most commonly start in its lining. They tend to be slow-growing and may not produce symptoms. Stomach cancers are also known as gastric cancers. Although common in other countries around the world, stomach cancers are relatively rare in the United States, where around 21,000 new cases are diagnosed each year (Source:
Read more about stomach cancer introduction
CAUSES
What causes stomach cancer?
The specific cause of stomach cancer is not known, although infection with a bacterium known as Helicobacter pylori has been associated with an increased risk of getting the disease. Other factors that seem to increase the risk of developing stomach cancer have also been identified....
Read more about stomach cancer causes
TREATMENTS
How is stomach cancer treated?
The goal of treatment for early stomach cancers is to permanently cure the cancer. For more advanced cancers, the goal of treatment may be to control spread of the disease, manage its symptoms or complications, and improve quality of life....
Read more about stomach cancer treatments
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