Experts have issued a stark warning to anyone planning to tuck into their Christmas dinner this year - highlighting a particular feeling that could signal underlying health woes.
‘Tis the season of indulgence. There are tins of family-size chocolates to dive into, bottles of bubbly to pop, and infinite rounds of cheese and crackers to delight in.
Research suggests the UK is likely to pack 250 million roast potatoes away and gobble a whopping 264 million slices of turkey at Christmas.
Some of us are on the cusp of consuming a huge amount of food and drink. But if you’re planning on pigging out on 25 December, then you’re naturally going to feel full at some point, right?
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While this is a natural occurrence when chowing down, doctors have warned that a ‘quick feeling of satiety’ could be a sign you’re actually suffering from something quite sinister.
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Speaking to Express.co.uk, Dr Frankie Jackson-Spence has warned that feeling full quickly after consuming goodies could be a serious cancer symptom.
“This feeling may be accompanied by other signs such as pain, fatigue, or unintentional weight loss,” she explained.
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Stomach, oesophageal, pancreatic, and ovarian cancer can all hinder your appetite, says Dr Jackson-Spence.
“It’s mainly due to the anatomy of the cancer, for example gastric (stomach) cancer takes up room in your stomach which can feel like a fullness,” she said.
However, the doctor added that these symptoms are only concerning if they last for longer than two weeks. You should also see a medical professional if they’re accompanied by other serious issues, such as anaemia and a change in bowel habits.
Dr Jackson-Spence’s warning has been echoed by Kiran Jones, a clinical pharmacist at Oxford Online Pharmacy.
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He has warned painful fullness that 'doesn't ease off after digestion, or wakes you up at night' could be a sign of colorectal cancer.
“Constant feeling of fullness can occur if there’s a blockage or tumour in the bowel,” he told the Daily Mail. “If it lasts longer than a few days, it can indicate gut health issues, or worse, bowel cancer.
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“While it’s tempting to brush this off as eating a heavy Christmas meal, monitor the symptom closely, especially if it lingers or worsens.”
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Unfortunately, worldwide symptoms of bowel cancer in individuals ages between 20 and 30 have been on the rise since the 1990s.
NHS surgeon Dr Karan Rajan has revealed how monitoring blood in your stool could help you get a quicker diagnosis, stating: “Blood from colon cancer is often dark red and maybe even black and tarry because it comes from higher up in the digestive tract, giving it more time to oxidise and darken.
“Bleeding from haemorrhoids is typically right red because these come from swollen veins near the anus or rectum.”
Dr Rajan added that blood that comes from cancer can sometimes be mixed into the stool itself, giving the entire stool a darker and potentially streaked appearance.
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The NHS has also listed some other symptoms of colon cancer to keep watch for, including unusual diarrhoea or constipation, stomach pain, bloating and fatigue.
Ella Scott