Gastrointestinal cancers are on the rise worldwide. Often detected in advanced stages, GI cancers have vague symptoms that do not raise a cancer alarm. An irregular bowel movement, indigestion, and bloating are usually dismissed by people as digestive trouble. A Quora user recently posted how a friend’s indigestion turned out to be cancer and how it took her life, just five weeks after the diagnosis.
“My friend just died of colon/liver cancer. She lived 5 weeks after diagnosis. We had been on vacation the week before diagnosis, and her only complaint was indigestion. How is this possible? What kind of cancer can move this quickly undetected?” the post read.
According to Yale Medicine, common types of GI cancers include esophageal cancer, gastric (stomach) cancer, colorectal cancer or colon cancer, pancreatic cancer, and liver cancer.
Heartburn, indigestion, changes in appetite, nausea, irregular bowel movements, vomiting, feeling of fullness, and cramps are some of the common symptoms people with GI cancers may suffer from.
Can indigestion be a sign of colon or liver cancer?
Indigestion is usually harmless and linked to common issues like overeating, stress, or acidity. However, in some cases, it can be an early signal of something more serious, such as colon or liver cancer.
“In colon cancer, tumours in the bowel can interfere with digestion and waste movement, leading to persistent bloating, abdominal discomfort, or cramping that people often mistake for simple indigestion. In liver cancer, the disease disrupts the organ’s role in breaking down fats and producing bile, which can result in nausea, fullness after small meals, or upper abdominal pain that feels very similar to routine digestive upset,” says Dr Ramana Gogi, Principal Consultant – Medical Oncology, CK Birla Hospital Gurugram.
Why the symptoms may go unnoticed
What makes these cancers concerning is how easily they can progress unnoticed. Both colon and liver cancers often develop silently, with vague symptoms that do not immediately raise alarm.
“Many individuals dismiss early warning signs, treating them with over-the-counter remedies for acidity or indigestion. By the time additional symptoms such as unexplained weight loss, blood in stool, jaundice, or persistent fatigue appear, the disease may already be in an advanced stage. Liver cancer in particular tends to progress rapidly because of the liver’s rich blood supply, which enables tumors to grow and spread faster,” says Dr Gogi.
How to know if you have GI cancer and not a common digestive trouble
It is important for people to pay close attention to persistent digestive changes. If these symptoms aren’t improving and you are experiencing reg flag signs like rectal bleeding, unexplained fatigue or yellowing of skin, you must consult your doctor.
“Indigestion that lingers for more than a few weeks, worsens over time, or is accompanied by red flag signs—like rectal bleeding, black stools, unexplained fatigue, loss of appetite, or yellowing of the skin and eyes—should prompt immediate medical evaluation. Early detection through colonoscopy, routine liver check-ups for high-risk groups, and appropriate screening can make a critical difference,” advises Dr Gogi.
How to protect against GI Cancers
Maintaining a healthy weight, limiting alcohol and processed meats, eating a fibre-rich diet, avoiding smoking, and ensuring hepatitis B vaccination can significantly reduce risk, according to Dr Gogi.
People who have a family history or liver conditions must get regular screenings done. Most importantly, people should not dismiss ongoing indigestion as a minor problem. Listening to your body can often help catch cancer early and prevent it from moving to a more advanced and aggressive stage.