Experiencing a pain or ache in the stomach is fairly common. While frustrating and uncomfortable it can be caused by a number of different minor issues, such as constipation or a tummy bug.
However, in other cases it can be a sign of something far more serious.
According to the NHS, pain in your abdomen could signal a range of deadly cancers.
However, it is not easy to know what could be a stomach pain you don’t need to worry about compared to one that requires further investigation.
The health body has therefore explained more about the types of stomach pain that could be caused by cancer and other symptoms to look for.
Stomach cancer
The most obvious form of the disease that could lead to this kind of pain is stomach cancer.
But the NHS warns that signs of this illness might be “hard to spot”.
It describes pain at the top of your tummy as a potential symptom.
You might also notice a lump in the same area, as well as signs of indigestion, difficulty swallowing, nausea and feeling full up very quickly after eating.
It can also cause a loss of appetite or losing weight without trying to and fatigue.
If symptoms don’t get better after three weeks you should speak to your GP.
Bowel cancer
Bowel cancer is the fourth most common form of cancer in the UK, but the second most deadly causing around 16,800 deaths every year.
The main symptoms affect how you go to the toilet and include changes to your poo, blood in your poo and often feeling like you need to poo, even if you’ve just been to the toilet.
But it can also affect your abdomen, potentially leading to tummy pain, as well as a lump in your tummy and bloating.
Again the NHS says you should go to a doctor if you’ve had any symptoms of bowel cancer for three weeks or more.
Pancreatic cancer
Some people may never display symptoms of pancreatic cancer or it can be “hard to spot”, the NHS says.
However, one sign is stomach pain. The NHS explains this as “pain at the top part of your tummy and your back, which may feel worse when you’re eating or lying down and better when you lean forward”.
Other potential signs include:
- The whites of your eyes or your skin turn yellow (jaundice), and you may also have itchy skin, darker pee and paler poo than usual
- Loss of appetite or losing weight without trying to
- Feeling tired or having no energy
- A high temperature, or feeling hot or shivery
- Feeling or being sick
- Diarrhoea or constipation, or other changes in your poo
- Bloating.
Cervical cancer
Symptoms of cervical cancer can include:
- Vaginal bleeding that’s unusual for you – including bleeding during or after sex, between your periods or after the menopause, or having heavier periods than usual
- Changes to your vaginal discharge
- Pain during sex.
However, it can also cause pain in your lower back, between your hip bones, or in your lower tummy.
The NHS urges you to see your GP if you have any symptoms of cervical cancer.
Gallbladder cancer
This disease, like others, can also cause symptoms that affect your digestion.
The NHS describes these as:
- An aching pain in the right side of your tummy, sometimes described as a “dragging feeling”
- A sharp pain in your tummy
- A very swollen tummy that’s not related to when you eat.
Other symptoms of gallbladder cancer include jaundice, loss of appetite or losing weight without trying to, a high temperature and a lump in your tummy.
Liver cancer
Liver cancer can cause pain in a specific area of the abdomen.
The NHS says a pain at the top right side of your tummy is one symptom of the disease.
It can also cause pain in your right shoulder, as well as symptoms of indigestion, jaundice and a very swollen tummy that is not related to when you eat
Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma
Lymphoma is a type of blood cancer that affects the immune system.
Symptoms will depend on where in the body the enlarged lymph glands are.
If the abdomen is affected, you may have abdominal pain or indigestion, the NHS says.
Other signs include:
- Night sweats
- Unintentional weight loss
- A high temperature (fever)
- Feelings of breathlessness
- Persistent itching of the skin all over the body.
If you experience any unexplained symptoms listed above you should speak to your GP.
