Did you eat too many wings during the game? Or is that pain in the gut one of the symptoms of gastric cancer?
You don’t hear much about gastric (or stomach) cancer these days. That’s a good thing, of course. And it’s for a good reason — the number of people diagnosed with the disease has fallen dramatically in the United States over the past 60 years.
Still, there are some notable exceptions: Country music star Toby Keith, for one, who died earlier this year from the disease. It’s also worth noting that this kind of cancer is still among the most common in the world. But gastric cancer is often tough to pinpoint. That’s mostly due to its vague symptoms that are often mistaken for other, less serious conditions.
So, how do you identify symptoms of gastric cancer?
What Is Gastric Cancer?
First things first: What is gastric cancer?
Put simply, it’s cancer that starts in the stomach — most commonly, in the stomach’s inner lining. Although the exact cause isn’t known, there are risk factors attached to it. Those are things like a diet high in processed meats and smoked or salted foods, and one that’s low in vegetables. Alcohol and smoking are factors, too. So are being a man and older age.
According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), the number of new cases of stomach cancer has been dropping by about 1.5% each year for the past 10 years. For much of the early 20th century, gastric cancer was one of the leading causes of cancer deaths in the United States. Today, though, it’s low on the list.
The ACS says the decline is due to:
- People eating fewer salted and smoked foods
- Fewer people being infected with the Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) bacteria, a major risk factor for stomach cancer
Why Is Diagnosing Stomach Cancer So Hard?
One of the problems with diagnosing stomach or gastric cancer is how slowly it grows. It takes several years to increase in size.
Early signs and symptoms of gastric cancer, which may appear when the cancer is still small, are often confused with less serious health issues and overlooked.
If they don’t go away, though, you should talk to your doctor.
What are the Symptoms of Gastric Cancer?
These early-stage symptoms of gastric cancer may include:
- Changes in appetite
- Heartburn
- Indigestion
- Nausea
- Pain in the upper abdomen
- Unexplained fatigue
In most cases, early gastric cancers don’t cause symptoms at all, though. Instead, warning signs tend to develop when a tumor is large enough to trigger them. Also, it’s worth mentioning that symptoms of gastric cancer in men tend to look the same as they do in women.
Stage 4 gastric cancer symptoms may include:
- A feeling of fullness during meals or after eating a small meal
- A vague feeling of discomfort above the belly button in the abdomen
- Bloating
- Blood in the stool
- Diarrhea or constipation
- Extreme fatigue
- Jaundice (a fancy word for yellowing of the skin and eyes that can develop if the cancer spreads to the liver)
- Loss of appetite
- Swelling of the abdomen
- Unexplained weight loss
- Vomiting, with or without blood
Gastric cancer symptoms can also show up if the cancer has spread beyond the stomach to other parts of the body.
Do You Drink?
You could be at risk of stomach or gastric cancer.
What’s the Takeaway About Gastric Cancer Symptoms?
Symptoms of gastric cancer don’t always appear. When they do, they can be the same as those of other, less concerning health problems.
That’s why it’s important to pay attention to how long a symptom lasts. If normally run-of-the-mill inconveniences like indigestion and heartburn just won’t go away, it’s time to call your doctor. That goes for persistent stomach pain and even frequent burping or bloating, too. (Hey, it’s better to be safe than sorry.)
