Symptoms related to blood loss
GISTs tend to be
fragile tumors that can bleed easily. In fact, they are often found because
they cause bleeding into the GI tract. Signs and symptoms of this bleeding
depend on how fast it occurs and where the tumor is located.
- Brisk bleeding into the
esophagus or stomach can cause the person to throw up blood. When the blood is thrown up it may be partially
digested, so it might look like coffee grounds.
- Brisk bleeding into the stomach
or small intestine can make bowel movements (stools) black and tarry.
- Brisk bleeding into the large
intestine is likely to turn the stool red with visible blood.
- If the bleeding is slow, it
often doesn’t cause the person to throw up blood or have a change in their
stool. Over time, though, slow bleeding can lead to a low red blood cell
count (anemia), and make a person feel tired and weak.
Bleeding from the GI
tract can be very serious. If you have any of these signs or symptoms, see a
doctor right away.
Other possible symptoms of GISTs
Other symptoms of
GISTs can include:
- Abdominal (belly) pain
- A mass or swelling in the
abdomen
- Nausea, vomiting
- Feeling full after eating only
a small amount of food
- Loss of appetite
- Weight loss
- Problems swallowing (for tumors
in the esophagus)
Sometimes the tumor
grows large enough to block the passage of food through the stomach or
intestine. This is called an obstruction, and it can cause
severe abdominal pain and vomiting.
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