Cancer and weight loss

[Scarlett]

A couple of times my thoughtless Mother has complimented someone on losing weight only to be told they have cancer. What is it that makes cancer sufferers lose weight? Is it the chemotherapy- ie- is it a physical effect, or is it that they lose their appetite and can't eat?

[888sally888]

My dad fond that the chemo left him with a horrible metalic taste in his mouth which made him feel completely disinterested in food.

He lost a lot of weight.

[libertie]

It depends on where the cancer is, as not all people with it lose weight. My own father had cancer of the oesophagus and found it very difficult then almost impossible to digest food therefore he lost a huge amount of weigh before cancer was even diagnosed!

[Robinia]

Depending on which cancer it is weight loss often happens before treatment starts, either due to lack of appetite or inability to digest.
Treatment makes the problem worse with the sickness, constant nausea & problems with taste - or lack of it. It's hard eating food with little or no flavour & the irony is that you probably can't tolerate anything that's spicy enough to taste.

[Robinia]

"Anorexia, the loss of appetite or desire to eat, is the most common symptom in people with cancer. It may occur early in the disease process or later as the tumor grows and metastasizes. This condition is different from �anorexia nervosa,� which is a psychiatric diagnosis"


taken from this site...
http://www.wehealnewyork.org/cancer/symptoms/1 _1_7.html

[natalie_1982]

Awww, your poor mum, I'm sure she doesn't mean it - I quite often suffer from foot in mouth syndrome :-)

My uncle went from 11stone to just under 5stone, but the nausea he suffered when undergoing chemo put him off from eating mostly, although when you are told that you are terminally ill and given a time limit, I'm pretty sure it would also have a "What's the point?" effect on your appetite too.