Sign 10: Dramatic Weight Loss
Weight, for many, serves as a reflection of health and well-being. It’s a variable that can be influenced by a variety of factors, from dietary habits to activity levels and metabolic changes. Day-to-day, we might notice slight weight fluctuations, perhaps due to water retention, a heavy meal, or even stress. However, when someone experiences a significant weight drop without any intentional changes in diet or exercise, it becomes a source of concern. This kind of unintended weight loss, especially if it’s rapid and substantial, usually signals that something’s amiss in the body.
At its core, weight loss is a simple arithmetic of calories consumed versus calories burned. If we consume fewer calories than our body expends, we lose weight. This deficit can be intentional, as with dieting, or unintentional. The latter is particularly concerning. There might be several reasons behind it: perhaps the person is eating less due to a loss of appetite, or maybe the body is not absorbing nutrients properly, leading to malnourishment. The body, sensing a lack of incoming nutrients, starts breaking down fat reserves, leading to weight loss. But what factors might cause such unintentional reduction in food intake or absorption?
Oral cancer can manifest in myriad ways. One of its more insidious symptoms is its impact on nutrition. The presence of a tumor or growth in the mouth can make the act of eating painful or even physically challenging. Food might not pass easily, or there might be a constant feeling of nausea that deters one from eating. Moreover, the metabolic demands of cancerous cells can be high. Even if the person is eating a fair amount, the body might be burning calories at a much faster rate to support the rapid growth of these cells. This combination of reduced intake and increased expenditure can lead to dramatic weight loss.(10)
