What causes the drastic weight loss which often precedes (and can indicate)a cancer diagnosis?
Often people get a drastic weight loss just before being diagnosed with cancer and in fact sudden weight loss is a cancer danger signal. Since all cancers are not gastric in origin, yet the weight loss seems to be common wherever in the body the cancer eventually turns out to be, what is it that causes weight to drop off?
September 2nd, 2010 at 2:46 am
I would think that its because the person may be experiencing side effects of the cancer.. loss of appetite.
Illness makes you feel awful.
September 2nd, 2010 at 3:37 am
Depending on where the cancer is located, the disease itself may interfere with the gastrointestinal tract or cause imbalances in the body by overproducing or underproducing hormones that control metabolic activities. Cancer cells can produce toxins in the body to make you lose your appetite. Your body may also be expending a lot of energy trying to fight off the cancer. It can also be stress related.
September 2nd, 2010 at 4:09 am
Possibly because the tumor itself needs calories to grow and build its blood supply.
September 2nd, 2010 at 4:37 am
cancer cells use up a lot of energy since they are growing like crazy. kind of like how teens in puberty can eat a ton and not gain any weight. also lots of times patients either develop nausesa or just dont feel like eating, im not sure of the mechanism behind that