The Excruciating Truth Behind Stomach Cancer Symptoms

Today, stomach cancer is one-fourth as common as it was in 1930. In the United States, it ranks seventh behind lung, breast, colon, and other cancers. However, it remains the leading cause of cancer death worldwide.

Why the dramatic turnaround?

One reason is the widespread use of refrigeration, which has improved the people's diets by making fresh fruits and vegetables available to more people year-round. According to Pelayo Correa, M.D., professor of pathology at Louisiana State University in New Orleans, Americans are also eating less salted and smoked foods, which have been found to be risk factors for stomach cancer.

Improved sanitation also may have played a role in stomach cancer's decline. The "Helicobacter pylori" bacteria can spread from person to person when conditions are crowded and unsanitary. Since H. pylori is one of the major risk factors for developing certain kinds of stomach cancer, the disease has become less prevalent as sanitary conditions have improved in countries like the United States.

Although stomach cancer has declined overall, one particular type of stomach cancer, cardia stomach cancer, has been increasing at an alarming rate. Cardia stomach cancer occurs in the part of the stomach next to the esophagus.

Over the last 10 to 15 years, epidemiology researchers at the National Cancer Institute have noted a significant increase in stomach cancers that appear in the upper portion of the stomach.

Researchers are stumped as to why cardia stomach cancer is on the rise. However, they know that it appears most often in overweight white men from the middle and upper-middle classes.

For this reason, it is necessary for everybody to know the symptoms of stomach cancers like the cardia stomach cancer. In this way, proper medical procedures can immediately be performed to provide the appropriate medication.

The problem with stomach cancers is that the symptoms are hardly noticeable and completely indistinguishable from the typical malady, hence, people tend to pay no heed to them at the onset of the illness. This is because the symptoms of stomach cancer are the same as that of the symptoms of indigestion.  As a result, the cancers have already multiplied and have proliferated all over the body before they are diagnosed.

In fact, this is one of the main reasons why cases of stomach cancers increase at such an alarming rate. Therefore, here are some of the early signs and symptoms of stomach cancers, such that, when these are experienced, it would be better to seek medical help at once.

Early stage symptoms

1. Heartburn
2. Sense of being full after eating a meal
3. Abdominal distress on the upper portion of the stomach
4. Indigestion

Symptoms of Stomach cancer

1. Burning sensation or indigestion
2. Sense of blowing up of the stomach after eating a meal
3. Excruciating pain in the abdomen
4. Nausea
5. Vomiting
6. Loss of appetite
7. Blood presence in the stool or vomits blood (not the usual fresh color but dark blood)
8. Sense of weariness and loss of energy
9. Anemia
10. Weight loss

These symptoms are actually interlaced with another because the other symptoms appear due to the existence of another. For instance, weight loss is triggered by the loss of appetite and frequent vomiting. In addition, the mere vomiting of blood or the presence of blood in the stools are enough reasons to instigate anemia.

If people are having second thoughts of seeking medical advice whenever they feel some of the symptoms mentioned above, here is a list of some more concrete signs that they should take notice of. Once felt or experienced, it is best to seek medical attention immediately.

1. Sudden weight loss

This means that a person who has not been dieting and who seems to eat normally will instantly loose weight.

2. Presence of blood in vomiting or when vomiting persist even after a few days

3. Constant abdominal pain (from moderate to severe pain)

4. Having a hard time swallowing

5. Presence of blood in the stool

These symptoms are not ordinary on its basic context; hence, anyone who experiences some or all of these should seek medical attention immediately so as to diagnose the real cause of such problems.

Indeed, identifying the symptoms of stomach cancer can be very hard since they can be associated with other health problems such as indigestion, ulcer, or viral infections.

That is why it would be better to have a complete check-up once a person experiences any of the symptoms mentioned or if he or she suspect more serious health problem aside from the typical cause of such symptoms. As they say, it is better to be sure than sorry.