2. Loss of appetite
Patients with cancer often feel a significant reduction in their appetite levels. It can be an early sign of a late sign of cancer, depending on its type. In solid cancers of the abdominal cavity, a growing tumor can start pushing aside the stomach and creating pressure that reduces its volume. In other cases, it may take a while to experience loss of appetite, sometimes near the late stages of the disease.
Loss of appetite is another symptom of cachexia, and in severe cases, it contributes to the disease’s progression. Patients start rejecting food, and their nutritional status starts to drop. Their immune system does not work as intended and becomes unable to detect and destroy cancer cells. Thus, the disease progresses more rapidly than usual.