Suddenly losing weight could be a sign you have CANCER, docs warn
Experts found that one in seven men who shed weight without reason had one of ten forms of cancer
SUDDEN weight loss in older men is a sign of cancer, experts warn.
A study found that one in seven who shed pounds for no reason had the disease.
Researchers urged over 60s with similar symptoms to seek urgent medical help.
The Oxford University team said unexplained weight loss was the second highest risk factor for bowel, lung, pancreatic and kidney cancers.
They found up to 14 per cent of men over 60 who lost weight for no reason had cancer.
For those older than 70 it was 19 per cent, or one in five.
For women, the risk of cancer after dropping several pounds was six per cent in over 60s, and nine per cent for over 70s. They analysed the findings of 25 studies including data from more than 11.5million patients.
Overall weight loss was linked with ten types of cancer.
Dr Brian Nicholson said: “Services that allow GPs to investigate non-specific symptoms like weight loss are urgently needed if we are to catch cancer earlier and save lives.”
The findings come after the NHS rolled out ten one-stop cancer testing centres to speed up diagnosis times. The scheme allows GPs to refer patients with unexplained weight loss, sweating, tummy pain and tiredness for a cancer MoT.
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Dr Jodie Moffat, of Cancer Research, said: “GPs know to look out for weight loss as a cancer symptom, but some people don’t know to tell their GP.
“We’ve found unexplained weight loss was a symptom that people often see as harmless.”
