Signs and Symptoms of Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors
Most gastrointestinal stromal tumors
(GISTs) occur in the stomach or small intestine. These tumors often grow into
the empty space inside the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, so they might not cause
symptoms right away unless they are in a certain location or reach a certain
size.
Small tumors might not cause any symptoms and
may be found accidentally when the doctor is looking for some other problem. These small tumors
often grow slowly.
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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