These signals can warn you
It is one of the most dangerous types of cancer: stomach cancer. Stomach cancer symptoms usually go unnoticed until late in the disease, because symptoms are usually mild at first. On average, in Europe, 1 to 2 in 100 men and 0.5 to 1 in 100 women will develop stomach cancer. Small chance, but symptom awareness is still important.
Stomach cancer often goes unnoticed
Stomach cancer is a rare disease and is often ignored at first. Stomach complaints are difficult to identify and can be related to many different things. When someone visits a doctor with nonspecific stomach complaints, stomach cancer isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. Fortunately, the disease is easy to treat, especially when detected at an early stage.
Stomach cancer cases in the Netherlands
Fortunately, the prevalence of stomach cancer has been declining for a while. Cases are different for men and women. The disease occurs mainly in men between the ages of 60 and 75 years. Most women with stomach cancer are 75 years of age or older.
Symptoms of stomach cancer
At an early stage, this condition causes few complaints, depending on the location of the tumor in the stomach. However, there are some symptoms that indicate stomach cancer.
Dizziness and fatigue
Anemia – due to prolonged blood loss from the stomach
Black stools
Lack of appetite or lack of appetite and an aversion to certain foods. Especially foods with a strong odor such as coffee or herbs and spices.
Feeling of fullness long after eating or the feeling that your food won’t go down.
nausea
Vomiting, sometimes with small amounts of blood.
Regurgitation and heartburn.
Pain in the upper abdomen and / or near the sternum.
Sudden weight loss – without changing your diet or exercise routine.
Consult your doctor
Do you suspect something is wrong and have you recognized one or more of the symptoms from the above list? Don’t worry too much, because stomach cancer is a rare disease. Stomach complaints often have many causes and are usually the result of stress. If complaints persist for several weeks, it is recommended to visit a doctor. Do you notice blood in your stool or vomit? Then you should also immediately visit a doctor, as this is clearly a warning sign.
