Symptoms and first steps
A number of symptoms such as those listed below should be discussed with your GP in the first instance. Although your symptoms may be worrying, they could be caused by other conditions and your GP will be best-placed to advise you how to proceed.
Symptoms can include:
- croaky or sore throat or hoarseness that isn't associated with a cold/flu and hasn't gone away after a few weeks
- persistent cough
- difficulty or pain when swallowing that doesn't go away after a few weeks
- loss of appetite or feeling full after only a small meal
- persistent heartburn or indigestion
- nausea or vomiting
- constant bloating
- weakness or fatigue
- a noticeable lump in the abdomen
- unexplained pain or ache that comes and goes for more than four weeks
- unexplained weight loss
- heavy night sweats that aren't associated with menopause, medications or a fever
- persistent diarrhoea
- blood in poo, or poo that is very dark/ black in colour and is oily/ greasy looking, or poo that is a very pale colour
If your GP feels that your symptoms should be investigated, he or she will send a referral letter to our team to arrange whatever investigations are necessary (e.g. endoscopy/CT/MRI). If those investigations do not reveal the cause of the problem, we may refer you back to your GP or consider further investigations. If there is something of concern, we will contact you.
