Can Weight Loss Despite Not Dieting Be a Sign of Cancer?

Cancers such as colon and stomach cancer may progress insidiously and may not show any symptoms for a long time. Yeditepe University Hospitals Gastroenterologist said that it is necessary to be careful about symptoms such as excessive loss of appetite, unintentional weight loss without dieting, and bleeding from the mouth or anus, known as "alarm symptoms", and emphasized the importance of consulting a doctor immediately when these are seen.

Stating that one of the most common cancers in our country is stomach cancer, our specialist said, "Approximately 10 thousand stomach-related cancers are observed in our country every year. Endoscopic, laparoscopic, and closed surgeries are applied in the treatment."

The Frequency of Organ Preservation Surgeries is Increasing

Stating that the same procedures that can be performed in open surgery, can also be performed in laparoscopic surgery, our specialist said, “In closed surgeries, there are patient-friendly factors such as a shorter hospital stay and less pain for the patient. After laparoscopic surgery, the patient can return to their social life faster. If the cancer is at an early stage, we can preserve the organ with more regional surgeries.”

Year Survival in Second and Third Stage Gastric Cancer Increased to 70 Percent

Stating that the laparoscopic surgery method can be used in the first three stages of gastrointestinal cancers, Yeditepe University Koşuyolu Hospital Gastroenterologist said, “However, when tumors are detected at an early stage, remarkably effective treatments are available. Stomach cancer can be detected by endoscopy, even at a very early stage. Therefore, as a precaution, regular endoscopy and colonoscopy should not be neglected. It is clear that we can get satisfactory results in advanced-stage patients as well. When we look at the advanced-stage statistics of oncological surgery of stomach cancer patients in the second and third stages, the 5-year survival has increased to 70 percent. In our country, a complete service can be provided in this regard. However, it should not be forgotten that postoperative follow-up in stomach cancer is also very important.”