Is rapid weight loss always a sign of advanced cancer?

In 4 months I've lost 47lbs. As time has gone on the weight loss has became more rapid despite eating normally. I'm currently losing an average of half a pound a day.

 

is drastic weight loss like this always a sign of advanced cancer? Or is there hope that it could still potentially be in the early stages? I'm not diagnosed yet but I honestly know in my heart of hearts that there's cancer in my body. Due to the coronavirus situation I've been passed from pillar to post and it's been left for so long I'm so so worried. I have a telephone consultation on Wednesday with the gastroenterologist and I hope they will offer extensive testing.

 

but, is there any hope this isn't advanced? Thank you

  • Hi I was diagnosed in May 2019 with advanced breast cancer spread in lungs liver and kidney.Before I was diagnosed I ate normal and even now I have no problems with my appetite and didnt loose any weight.So i cant answer your question.Luckily chemo works and my liver and kidney are clear.

    Denise

  • Hello,

            l can think of several conditions that could potentially cause this other than cancer and l am no medical specialist,so its good news to hear you will be speaking to one shortly,who will hopefully be able to ascertain where your problem lies,

                                                              Best wishes for later this week,

                                                                                                                    David

  • Hi KrissyRawrz,  how are you doing, have tests started yet to diagnose your weight loss problem? I too have lost weight, about 16 pounds over the last 3 months but it's rapidly increased to over 2 pounds a week over the last 3 weeks and I'm yet to see anyone.  It's so frightening  not knowing why and not knowing how long you will be waiting for a diagnosis isn"t it? I hope you get sorted

  •  As far as I am aware it wasn't in my case! 
     

    I slowly started loosing weight when pregnant I put it down to eating healthier, I lost my baby at 21 weeks and within the space of 6 weeks I lost over 3stone dramatic and very noticeable! I didn't visit my gp about it as my head just wasn't there, it wasn't until 5 months later I was visiting for a different reason and he mentioned my weight we done bloods but nothing was abnormal gp said stress but honestly yes I was grieving but I wasn't stressed and I had been eating during the time of the weight loss my mum made sure if that constantly making us dinners etc that I had to eat infront of her so I had proof I wasn't not eating from grief etc, by the end ofdecwmber I was pregnant again and didn't gain any extra weight during that pregnancy, little one is now 9 months old and I've gone from dropping from 11 almost 12stone to 8.5 in 6weeks, 9.4 after birth to 10stone right now so I've been able to regain weight and from what my doctor has said if I can regain weight then that's a positive sign

     

    i am awaiting to be seen about a mole I've had for 3 years though gp always said it was fine but it freaks me out so I asked to be referred! And I've had server health anxiety recently which was classed as ptsd from when I lost my baby and I've still been able to regain some weight,

     

    think about everything going on around you just now, have you been eating heathier, walking more, stressed ? So many other things can contribute to extreme weight loss I was honestly freaking out thinking why am I just fading away and even though I will say I wasn't stressed at the time subconsciously I probably was through worrying why I was loosing weight like a vicious Cycle! 

  • That's a good point JRLT - I never thought about the fact that worrying and stressing about losing weight probably makes you lose even more! 3 stone is a lot of weight to lose in 6 weeks.  You've done really well to come come back from what must have been a really difficult time. I hope it goes well now with investigating your mole. 

     

    How were your energy levels? I get so terribly fatigued by the evening that I can barely concentrate.  Since having my hysterectomy 4 months ago I was getting better then everything slumped.  I worry that all the stress has caused chronic fatigue syndrome or whether it's something else like hormones.