Early symptoms of gastric cancer in children

The early symptoms of gastric cancer in children may be mild and atypical, such as persistent abdominal pain, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, weight loss, etc. If a child has these symptoms, he or she should seek medical attention as soon as possible, and the cause should be determined through gastroscopy and imaging diagnosis, and targeted treatment should be carried out.

1. Abdominal pain lasts for a long time, especially in the upper abdomen

In the early stages of gastric cancer in children, recurrent abdominal pain may occur, usually in the upper abdomen, but may not be in a specific location. Sometimes parents may mistake it for common gastritis or gastrointestinal discomfort in children. However, if the abdominal pain lasts for a long time and is accompanied by other symptoms, medical intervention should be sought as soon as possible. The doctor may arrange a gastroscopy to observe whether there are abnormal lesions in the stomach.

2. Loss of appetite and weight loss

Early gastric cancer may affect normal eating behavior. Children may lose interest in food, which may lead to weight loss. This change is not only caused by picky eating or partial eating habits, but may also be related to stomach discomfort or tumor compression. Malnutrition will further weaken immunity, so parents need to be vigilant and intervene in time.

3. Nausea, vomiting or indigestion

Repeated nausea, vomiting, or prolonged indigestion are also potential signs of stomach cancer in children, especially when there is no clear cause, such as excessive or unclean food intake. These symptoms are usually caused by irritation of the stomach lining or pressure from a mass, and clinicians may recommend examination with an X-ray, CT scan, or gastroscopy.

4. Chronic anemia and abnormal fatigue

Some gastric cancer patients will develop anemia in the early stage due to chronic gastric bleeding, which manifests as pale complexion, abnormal fatigue, difficulty concentrating, etc. A routine blood test can determine whether anemia exists. If anemia is present, the possibility of gastric lesions should be taken seriously.

5 Serious symptoms of vomiting blood or black stools

The further development of gastric cancer may cause rupture of blood vessels in the stomach, causing vomiting blood or black stools. These signs usually appear in the middle and late stages of the disease. Once parents discover this, it is an emergency and they should immediately take their children to the hospital for examination and treatment.

The incidence of gastric cancer in children is low, but if the child continues to show the above symptoms, he should go to a regular hospital as soon as possible for a comprehensive gastric examination, including gastroscopy, biopsy, B-ultrasound or CT, etc., to confirm the diagnosis and receive timely treatment. Parents also need to pay more attention to the children's diet structure, reduce the intake of high-salt and pickled foods, and increase the proportion of foods rich in vitamins and fiber to prevent the occurrence of gastric diseases.