What are the main manifestations of advanced gastric cancer?
Disease description:
My grandfather has not been feeling well for quite some time, especially during meals—he has had no appetite recently and often experiences stomach pain. After visiting the hospital for examination, the doctors diagnosed him with stomach cancer, and it is already quite advanced. I would like to ask, what are the main symptoms of late-stage gastric cancer?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Shen Yonghua
Some main manifestations of advanced gastric cancer:
1. Worsening of gastrointestinal symptoms: Patients may experience persistent upper abdominal pain, which may radiate to the back and may intensify after eating. In addition, symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, and weight loss may also occur.
2. Gastrointestinal bleeding: Patients with advanced gastric cancer may experience hematemesis (vomiting blood) or melena (black tarry stools), which result from gastrointestinal bleeding caused by tumor invasion of the gastric mucosa.
3. Difficulty swallowing: If the tumor is located at the gastric inlet or lower esophagus, it may compress the esophagus, causing difficulty in swallowing.
4. Ascites and abdominal mass: As the disease progresses, gastric cancer may spread to other parts of the abdominal cavity, leading to accumulation of ascites. This causes abdominal distension, and sometimes a mass may be palpable in the abdomen.
5. Systemic symptoms: Patients with advanced gastric cancer may experience systemic symptoms such as anemia, fatigue, and cachexia (wasting), which are associated with malnutrition and tumor-related consumption.
Advanced gastric cancer is usually severe, and patients should seek medical attention promptly.
