Weight Loss and Black Stool
Weight loss in esophageal cancer is related to many factors because patients with bulky tumors also have a reduced appetite for food. Approximately 57-85 percent of people with esophageal cancer lose weight without even trying. It is usually unexplainable, and a medical doctor’s attention is needed immediately. Inexplicable weight loss is 5 percent of the body weight or more within 6-12 months. Patients begin to eat less due to trouble swallowing and decreased appetite associated with cancer. Other causes of weight loss are dysphagia, decreased oral intake, systemic inflammation, lack of nutrition, and mental factors.
Black stools known as melena can occur as a result of bleeding from the esophagus. The blood from the upper digestive tract (duodenum) and esophagus turns black due to exposure to acids in the stomach.