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Last Updated: Jul 13, 2020
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Know More About Gastrointestinal Cancer Symptoms!
Dr. Amit JainGeneral Surgeon • 22 Years Exp.MCh - Surgical Gastroenterology/G.I. Surgery, MBBS, MS - General Surgery
Symptoms of Gastrointestinal Cancer
- Dysphagia: Early and Common symptom of oesophagal cancer In patients with oesophagus cancer patients have initial dysphagia to solid foods and gradually progress to liquid. This progressive dysphagia is indicative of any progressive mass lesion in the oesophagus which is compromising the oesophagus lumen and causing dysphagia
- Vomiting: It occurs when there is an obstruction in the gastrointestinal tract. Obstruction distal to the bile duct opening causes bilious vomiting. Obstruction proximal to it causes non-bilious vomiting. Primary stomach cancer or small bowel cancer causes vomiting due to intrinsic mass which compromises the lumen. Gallbladder cancer can cause external compression over the duodenum and antro-pyloric region resulting in gastric outlet obstruction
- Jaundice: It occurs when there is an obstruction in the Common bile duct. This obstruction can be intrinsic due to bile duct cancer. It may be extrinsic due to external compressions such as Gallbladder mass or pancreatic head mass causing external compression over the CBD. patient present with features of surgical obstructive jaundice such as pale-coloured stool, dark urine and pruritus.
- Melena: It is the passage of black tarrish coloured stool. Melena indicates a slow bleed in the GI tract. This bleed can originate at any site along the GI tract. Cancer stomach and peri-ampullary cancer and right-sided colon cancer have a tendency to bleed. Sometimes patient have occult bleed and present with the feature of anaemia such as weakness/tiredness
- Hematochezia: It is the passage of fresh blood per rectum. A small amount of fresh blood with stool indicate cancer rectum
Anorexia and Weight Loss: these are common symptoms of any malignancy in our body
In case you have a concern or query you can always consult a specialist & get answers to your questions!