Symptom 6: Bloating and Gas
Everyone experiences the discomfort of bloating at some point. It’s that inflated feeling, where your belly seems to have doubled in size. Often, a heavy meal or certain foods are to blame. But when bloating becomes a frequent intruder, rarely leaving your side, it’s time to dig deeper. With duodenal cancer, tumors or lesions in the duodenum can hinder food’s smooth passage, leading to a build-up of gas and partially digested foods. This backup often causes the unsettling bloat many patients report.
Gas isn’t a topic many of us bring up in casual conversations. Yet, its sudden increase, both in frequency and volume, can’t be ignored. The duodenum is where the early stages of digestion take place, and if there’s an obstruction, such as from a growing tumor, food doesn’t break down as it should. This mal-digestion can lead to excessive gas, often accompanied by burping or flatulence. More than just a minor inconvenience, it’s a sign that food isn’t transitioning through the digestive system correctly.
A bit of bloating and gas after a bean-filled meal is standard. But continuous bloating, which doesn’t relent with dietary changes, and increased gas hint at something more sinister than just dietary choices. These symptoms, especially when combined with other red flags like weight loss or jaundice, weave a story of potential underlying issues. (6)
