10 Gastric Cancer Symptoms
Symptom #7: Anemia
Anemia results from a decrease of red blood cell mass (decrease in production or increase in breakdown) or from the presence of dysfunctional red blood cells in the body. It can also occur due to loss of blood. This leads to reduced oxygen delivery to the organs in the body. As a result, individuals with anemia tend to feel fatigued, dizzy, and breathless.
Some causes of anemia are iron deficiency, thalassemia, trauma, vitamin B12 deficiency, gastrointestinal bleeding, malaria, and sickle cell anemia. Anemia in patients with gastric cancer is present in approximately 30% of patients and may be caused by frequent bleeding in the tumor site, poor nutrition or liver dysfunction. When anemia is detected in an individual over the age of 50, further workup to rule out gastrointestinal malignancies must be performed.
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