7-Diarrhea or Constipation
All conditions that affect the human gastrointestinal tract have the potential to affect the intestinal function adversely. Diarrhea and constipation are two ubiquitous signs that something is amiss with digestive function.
Diarrhea is a frequently observed symptom in cancer patients, especially when the tumor affects the gastrointestinal tract. The tumor itself may cause diarrhea and or it may be a side effect of oncological treatment. Patients with diarrhea will produce loose and watery fecal matter and frequently experience difficulty controlling the urge to defecate.
Constipation is another common affectation seen in patients with stomach cancer. Patients suffering from constipation will experience a pronounced difficulty defecating, as well as have increasingly less frequent bowel movements. Constipation can be characterized by the presence of a strong urge to defecate accompanied by cramps and an inability to pass stool.
For cancer patients, both diarrhea and constipation may get worse for a few weeks or a month and then improve for a time. In other cases, symptoms are present continuously.