Tumor symptoms: a complete report on symptoms of various tumors

Tumor symptomsThe important warning signals of cancer and tumors are; unusual bleeding form any internal or external body site. A lump or thickening in any area of the body , a sore or wound that does not heal , a change in bowel or bladder habits, hoarsness, persistent cough, indigestion or difficulty in swallowing, change in the size or shape or characteristic of a wart or a mole, unexplained weight loss or brisk weight gain. These are some of the major signs of cancer and once any of these is observed it should be brought to prompt attention of the general practitioner. Exhaustive tests should be conducted there after to rule out any malignancy or benign tumor.Gastrointestinal signs of tumor; Because of the vague, nonspecific symptoms that characterize gastric cancer, most patients are diagnosed with advanced-stage disease. Patients may have a combination of signs and symptoms such as weight loss, anorexia, fatigue, or epigastric discomfort, none of which unequivocally indicates gastric cancer. Weight loss is a common symptom, and its clinical significance should not be underestimated. In some patients, symptoms may suggest the presence of a lesion at a specific location. A history of dysphagia may indicate the presence of a tumor in the cardia with extension through the gastroesophageal junction. Early satiety is an infrequent symptom of gastric cancer but is indicative of a diffusely infiltrative tumor that has resulted in loss of distensibility of the gastric wall. Persistent vomiting is consistent with an antral carcinoma obstructing the pylorus. Significant gastrointestinal bleeding is uncommon with gastric cancer; however, hematemesis does occur in approximately 10% to 15% of patients. Ascites, jaundice, or a palpable mass indicates extensive and incurable disease. Signs and symptoms at presentation are often related to spread of disease. Because the transverse colon is held in proximity to the stomach by the gastrocolic ligament, the transverse colon is a potential site of malignant fistulization and obstruction from a gastric primary tumor. Diffuse peritoneal spread of disease frequently produces other sites of intestinal obstruction. A large ovarian mass (Krukenberg’s tumor) or a large peritoneal implant in the pelvis (Blumer’s shelf), which can produce symptoms of rectal obstruction, may be felt on pelvic or rectal examination. Nodular metastases in the subcutaneous tissue around the umbilicus or in peripheral lymph nodes represent areas in which a tissue diagnosis can be established with minimal morbidity.Neurologic signs and symptoms of head tumor; Intracranial tumors produce two kinds of symptoms: general symptoms related to intracranial pressure (ICP) and local symptoms that are specific to the tumor’s location. Essentially all brain tumors can produce headache. The brain itself is not pain sensitive, and tumor headache is thought to arise from the dura and intracranial vessels. Meningiomas and other slow-growing tumors may grow remarkably large without producing headache, whereas more rapidly growing tumors can cause headache early in their course. Other mechanisms through which small tumors can cause headache include growth within an enclosed space, such as the cavernous sinus, or obstructive hydrocephalus, in which the ventricles rather than the tumor are the bulk of the extra mass. Nausea and vomiting, personality changes, and slowing of psychomotor function or even somnolence may be present with increased ICP.