Is It Possible To Have Cancer Without Suffering Weight Loss?
In the early stages of cancer does one remain a normal weight? Does the weight loss come later when the cancer is in the advanced stages?
7 Responses to “Is It Possible To Have Cancer Without Suffering Weight Loss?”
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August 31st, 2009 at 11:45 am
I agree with “Denisedd” – but I think it’s safe to say that the early stages of every malignancy should not be associated with weight loss. So you are correct in your assertion that “in the EARLY stages of cancer one does remain at normal weight.”
This brings up a very good point about the so called “Seven Warning Signs of Cancer.”http://www.healingdaily.com/conditions/7…
Some of these are signs of fairly advanced disease.
“Change in bowel or bladder habits” You want to find colorectal cancer with screening long BEFORE these symptoms.
“Nagging cough or hoarseness” might indicate laryngeal or lung cancers, but these are advanced signs. Unfortunately screening does not help us with these malignancies. The best solution for these is to not smoke cigarettes. Cigarettes cause the vast majority of these, so most could be prevented. The smoking related cancers are the most difficult to treat successfully, so people should not think they can smoke and be cured if they are the ones to develop smoking related cancers.
“Difficulty in swallowing” might indicate esophageal cancer, but this sign shows up also at a late stage of the disease. Esophageal cancers are also smoking related and are very difficult to treat successfully.
In most types of cancer, it is far better to find them long before they cause weight loss or any symptoms at all.
That is one reason pancreatic cancer patients do so poorly. There is no good way to find them early
August 31st, 2009 at 3:19 pm
Possible causes of unintentional weight loss include depression, frequent diarrhea, hyperthyroidism (an overactive thyroid gland), infection, poor nutrition, AIDS, and cancer. If you’re trying to figure out why someone else is losing weight unintentionally, you may also want to look into drug abuse, eating disorders, and smoking.
Unexplained Weight Loss and Colon Cancer
Tumors are their own life form. They require a blood supply and energy to grow, and they also release their own waste products. Since they’re living inside you, tumors use your blood and nutrients, and release their waste products inside your body. You’re unlikely to notice the diversion of blood and nutrients, but sometimes tumors release chemicals that increase the body’s metabolism (such as burn calories faster), which can lead to unexplained weight loss.
August 31st, 2009 at 5:11 pm
This is a hard question to answer for me. I guess my sister’s cancer was already pretty advanced when they found it, and she didn’t have any weight loss, at least not noticeable. She lived for 17 months after her cancer was diagnosed, and the last months she was retaining fluid in her legs. Other than that, she looked good and had a remarkable, upbeat attitude. She didn’t appear noticeably thin until the last couple months. She fought a brave fight and I thought she would be able to beat it, even against the odds. She passed on April 23, 2008. Love you, Isis! (that’s her nickname)
August 31st, 2009 at 11:24 pm
We can only say what we have experienced and what people we’ve spoken to or met have experienced. I have gained weight, most people I’ve met have gained weight. The only 2 that I’ve known about that’s lost weight were in the end stages, shortly before death.
September 1st, 2009 at 4:07 am
In general weigh loss does not occur until it is advanced, but you have to realize you are asking a question about 200 different diseases so there are going to be several exceptions.
September 1st, 2009 at 9:56 am
I was a fat pig when I got cancer, remained a fat pig during my treatment and eventual recovery, and I’m still a fat pig…
September 1st, 2009 at 2:25 pm
If one is riddled with cancerous tumors and growths and such, he/she can actually look bloated. Sorry to hear!