Stomach cancer symptoms can often be mistaken for minor health issues, but it’s crucial to identify the early warning signs and seek immediate medical attention.
One symptom that is frequently overlooked is persistent indigestion and regular burping. The NHS states that most people experience indigestion at some point, with symptoms including heartburn, bloating, feeling full or nauseous.
This particular sign typically occurs after eating, as noted by Cancer Research UK. While indigestion is a common occurrence and not always a sign of cancer, it can be quite painful.
The charity explains: “You can get indigestion when acid from the stomach goes back up (refluxes) into the food pipe (oesophagus). Or you can get it if you have any irritation in your stomach.
“Indigestion and heartburn can be very painful, even if nothing’s seriously wrong,” the health organisation stated. They advise seeking a doctor’s advice if you experience heartburn on most days for more than three weeks.
The full list of symptoms according to the NHS is:
- heartburn or acid reflux
- having problems swallowing (dysphagia)
- feeling or being sick
- symptoms of indigestion, such as burping a lot
- feeling full very quickly when eating
- loss of appetite or losing weight without trying to
- a lump at the top of your tummy
- pain at the top of your tummy
- feeling tired or having no energy
Lower salt
Cancer Research UK specifically warns that excessive salt intake is particularly harmful, contributing to roughly one-quarter of gastric cancers.
Cancer Research UK is urging adults to keep their salt intake under 6g a day, about one teaspoon, to cut cancer risk.
Brits are regularly consuming more than the recommended amount of salt, according to Cancer Research UK. The charity has pointed out that “Most of the salt we eat is in the everyday foods such as bread, cereals and ready meals.”
A study with 40,000 middle-aged participants in Japan suggests that high salt diets could double the risk of developing stomach cancer.
The research found that men with the highest salt consumption faced a stomach cancer risk of one in 500 per year, which is twice the rate compared to those with the lowest salt intake. This study was published in the British Journal of Cancer and conducted by the National Cancer Centre Research Institute in Japan.